Assessment of Surficial Loads of Heavy Metals in sediment of Ipo Stream and Sombriero River, Rivers State, Nigeria

The concentrations of Cd, Ni, Cu, Pb and Fe were determined in sediments and water samples of two aquatic systems after mineralization with HNO3, HCl and HClO4 and analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer model 507KL. The mean concentration obtained in sediments of Ipo stream were as follows Cd (1.2 – 1.7) mg/Kg, Ni (3.0 – 3.5) mg/Kg, Cu (14.62 – 25.22) mg/Kg, Pb (20.05 – 24.6) mg/Kg, Fe (18.20 – 24.82), while in water, in mg/L was Cd (1.09 – 1.65), Ni (3.09 – 3.72), Cu (14.14 – 24.10), Pb (20.00 – 24.20), and Fe (711 – 907). In Sombreior sediment, the following concentration in mg/Kg were obtained Cd (0.10 – 0.12), Ni (102 – 70.34), Cu (34.02 – 84.20) Pb (18.22 – 23.05), and Fe (11780 – 15642.2). However, in water the heavy metals occurred in the range Cd (<0.001 – 0.02), Ni (64.21 – 82.01), Cu (30.41 – 3961), Pb (8.02 – 16.38), and Fe (712 – 872.0) mg/L. The results showed that Ipo stream contained more heavy metals than Sombriero river and significant difference occurred in the mean concentration of heavy metals in Ipo stream and Sombreior river at p<0.05. The results showed that the major source of pollution of the study area is anthropogenic activities.