An investigation of heavy metals pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe

Pollution of aquatic ecosystems with heavy metals is now of global concern due to their effects on human health and persistence in the environment. The study was carried out to determine the heavy metal pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe. To provide information on heavy metals chromium, lea...

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Main Author: Chibanda, Maryleen
Language:English
Published: Midlands State University 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11408/3712
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author Chibanda, Maryleen
author_facet Chibanda, Maryleen
author_sort Chibanda, Maryleen
collection DSpace
description Pollution of aquatic ecosystems with heavy metals is now of global concern due to their effects on human health and persistence in the environment. The study was carried out to determine the heavy metal pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe. To provide information on heavy metals chromium, lead, copper, magnesium and iron concentrations in water and sediments, samples were collected at five sites in January 2019 and in February 2019. The samples were acid digested and analysed with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed that all studied metals were present in water and sediment samples and the mean concentrations of all metals occurred in the order Pb> Mg > Fe > Cu > Cr for both samples. There were significant differences in levels of Pb, Cr and Cu in water and Pb, Cr, Mg and Fe in sediments among the 5 sites. Correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between heavy metals in water and those in sediments. The highest contamination degree of the sediment was observed at site 3, the point of sewage discharge and lowest at site 5. Pollution load index (PLI) showed that sediments were uncontaminated to moderately contaminated. Levels of Pb were above permissible limits of SAZ and WHO in water posing a potential health hazard to the aquatic organisms and human inhabitants of the area that use this water resource directly for domestic or agricultural purposes. The results of metal concentration in water and sediments from this study are important as a baseline for future monitoring studies.
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spelling ir-11408-37122022-06-27T13:49:05Z An investigation of heavy metals pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe Chibanda, Maryleen Pollution Aquatic ecosystems Heavy metal pollution Zimbabwe Pollution of aquatic ecosystems with heavy metals is now of global concern due to their effects on human health and persistence in the environment. The study was carried out to determine the heavy metal pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe. To provide information on heavy metals chromium, lead, copper, magnesium and iron concentrations in water and sediments, samples were collected at five sites in January 2019 and in February 2019. The samples were acid digested and analysed with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed that all studied metals were present in water and sediment samples and the mean concentrations of all metals occurred in the order Pb> Mg > Fe > Cu > Cr for both samples. There were significant differences in levels of Pb, Cr and Cu in water and Pb, Cr, Mg and Fe in sediments among the 5 sites. Correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between heavy metals in water and those in sediments. The highest contamination degree of the sediment was observed at site 3, the point of sewage discharge and lowest at site 5. Pollution load index (PLI) showed that sediments were uncontaminated to moderately contaminated. Levels of Pb were above permissible limits of SAZ and WHO in water posing a potential health hazard to the aquatic organisms and human inhabitants of the area that use this water resource directly for domestic or agricultural purposes. The results of metal concentration in water and sediments from this study are important as a baseline for future monitoring studies. 2019-09-26T09:02:23Z 2019-09-26T09:02:23Z 2019 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/3712 en open Midlands State University
spellingShingle Pollution
Aquatic ecosystems
Heavy metal pollution
Zimbabwe
Chibanda, Maryleen
An investigation of heavy metals pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe
title An investigation of heavy metals pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe
title_full An investigation of heavy metals pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe
title_fullStr An investigation of heavy metals pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed An investigation of heavy metals pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe
title_short An investigation of heavy metals pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe
title_sort investigation of heavy metals pollution in sebakwe river kwekwe, zimbabwe
topic Pollution
Aquatic ecosystems
Heavy metal pollution
Zimbabwe
url http://hdl.handle.net/11408/3712
work_keys_str_mv AT chibandamaryleen aninvestigationofheavymetalspollutioninsebakweriverkwekwezimbabwe
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