ABSTRACT
The objective of the study was to investigate the presence of some heavy metals in this often polluted water body. For this examination to be accomplished, standard analytical procedures were used to determine surface water samples collected from Warri River, between April and September 2012. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (ASS) was used to evaluate the presence of heavy metal in this all popular water body. The sampling stations examined were chosen as a result of ease of accessibility. Concentration of heavy metals in this river was compared with (WHO, 1982 and FEPA, 1991) recommended standards for aquatic organisms and portable water for human usage. The study showed that the mean concentrations of the following metals (Iron =6.75 mg/l, Copper =1.69 mg/l, Lead =0.45 mg/l, Manganese = 2.22 mg/l, Cadmium =0.18 mg/l and Chromium =0.24 mg/l) except Zinc (4.21 mg/l), exceeded the maximum limit recommended for human lives, indicating that the water body was harmful to humans, but posed no danger to aquatic organisms. It is therefore recommended that the river be closely monitored from time to time in order to alert the general public of the incidence of any future increase in pollution in the same water body. Since the level of aquatic pollution are bound to change overtime, through natural and/or artificial means, there is need to enforce existing industrial and environmental wastes discharge/recycling laws to ensure reduced, more efficient and planned waste discharges, especially into the aquatic ecosystem. This measure will avert future metal bio-accumulation in water and in aquatic organisms as well as reduce the concentration of metals that may be ingested by man through fish food and or portable water. |
