Analysis of heavy metal pollution status of Amadi creek, port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper reports on a study to analyze the heavy metals pollution status of Amadi creek. Amadi creek is a unique creek that is of high economic importance to the residents of Rumuobiakani, Mini-ewa, Oginigba, Okujagu, and  Woji communities as it hosts the activities of the majority of the companies around Tran-Amadi industrial area. The study was carried out to evaluate the  variation in the concentration of heavy metals in Amadicreek.water  resulting from increasing human and industrial activities in the creek. For this purpose the concentrations of some heavy metals at different seasons were measured and the results compared to those of regulatory bodies such as W.H.O and E.U .Statistical methods were used at some points to calculate the mean, variance and standard deviations in all stations. The water samples from the creek were analyzed for heavy metals with atomic spectrophotometer (DR-2010 Model) to determine the concentrations of Cu,Cr, Al, and Fe. The results of the analysis show that the mean values of Cu, Cr, Al, and Fe vary from 0.07-0.5mg/l, 0.00-0.06mg/l.0.01-0.08mg/l.0.30-1.43mg/l respectively. In view of the fact that these metal ions could pose serious environmental and public health hazards, recommendations have been made to the effect that industries and municipalities adequately treat their waste water before discharging them to the creek.