Investigating the levels of selected heavy metals in surface water of Shah Alam River (A tributary of River Kabul, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
Keywords:
Heavy metals; surface water; Shah Alam RiverAbstract
Pakistan is one of the countries facing fresh water pollution mainly due to untreated discharge of industrial wastes into rivers. Here only 1% of industrial waste is treated before its discharge to the rivers. River Kabul is an important river in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province; it receives 80000 m3 industrial effluents every day. River Shah Alam, a tributary of River Kabul that receives most of the sewage from Peshawar, as well as from 30 surrounding villages. It also receives effluents from sugar mills, distilleries, paper mills, tanneries, ghee mills and textile mills in that area.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of heavy metals cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in the surface water of the Shah Alam River. The surface water samples were collected at 5 sampling sites. These sites were selected based on upstream and downstream industrial and domestic sewage discharge locations. Surface water samples were collected from each site in a 5 month period, from December to April (2004-05). Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were assayed using an atomic absorption (AA) spectrophotometery and the results shown as mg of heavy metal/ L of fresh water sample (mg/L). The order of heavy metal concentration was Ni > Mn ≥ Zn > > Cu > Cd ≈ Pb > > Cr. The highest concentration of Ni determined was ≈ 30 times whereas Cd and Pb levels were ≈ 10 times higher than the permissible World Heatlh Organization (WHO) established safe drinking water quality standards. The levels of Cu, Cr, Mn and Zn were within the prescribed limits.
Although a weak correlation existed between metal concentration and temperature increase but since the temperature change was only within 2-3° C (degree Celsius) over the sampling period therefore we could not deduce concentration dependence on water temperature. Except for the Mn, no strong correlation existed between water pH and metal concentration. Although metals concentration has been reported to increase with decreasing pH but in our studies no such correlation existed (except for Mn).
A decline in most metal concentrations downstream could be due to; metal sorption to anaerobic sediments, uptake by algae and aquatic fauna or dilution. Metals can accumulate in sediments and can become bioavailable to aquatic fauna (bottom feeders). An investigation into the concentrations of heavy metals in river sediments is needed for better assessment of heavy metals bioaccumulation in fish.
References
Asaolu, S. S., Olaofe, O., 2005. Biomagnification of some heavy and essential metals in sediment, fishes and crayfish from Ondo State Coastal Region, Nigeria. Pakistan Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research, 48, 96-102.
Ashraf, W., 2005. Accumulation of heavy metals in kidney and heart tissues of Epinephelus microdon fish from the Arabian Gulf. Environmental Monitoring Assessment, 101, 311-316.
Baskaran, L., Ganesh, K. S., Chidambaram, A. L. A., Sundaramoorthy, P., 2009. Amelioration of Sugar Mill Effluent Polluted Soil and its Effect of Greengram (Vigna radiata L.). Botany Research International, 2, 131-135.
Canli, M., Ay, O., Kalay, M., 1998. Levels of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, and Ni) in tissue of Cyprinus Carpio, Barbus Capito and Chondrostoma regium from the Seyhan River. Turkish Journal of Zoology, 22, 149-157.
Chen, C. Y., Lin, T. H., 2001. Effect of nickel chloride on human platelets: enhancement of lipid peroxidation, inhibition of aggregation and interaction with ascorbic acid. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health A, 62, 431-438.
Chen, C. Y., Sheu, J. Y., Lin, T. H., 1999. Oxidative effects of nickel on bone marrow and blood of rats. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health A, 58, 475-483.
Chen, C. Y., Su, Y. J., Wu, P. F., Shyu, M. M., 2002. Nickel-induced plasma lipid peroxidation and effect of antioxidants in human blood: involvement hydroxyl radical formation and depletion of a-tocopherol. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health A, 65, 843-852.
Chen, C. Y., Wang, Y. F., Lin, Y. H., Yen, S. F., 2003. Nickel-induced oxidative stress and effect of antioxidants in human lymphocytes. Archives of Toxicology, 77, 123-130.
Conacher, H. B., Page, B. D., Ryan, J. J., 1993. Industrial chemical contamination of foods [Review]. Food Additives Contaminants, 10, 129-143.
Cresta, L., Perdelli, F., Franco, Y., Raffo, E., Cristina, M. L., Diani, F., 1989. Possible correlations between urinary cadmium and fetal growth retardation in pregnant women who smoke. Minerva Ginecol, 41, 85-88.
Dautremepuits, C., Paris-Palacios, S., Betoulle, S., Vernet, G., 2004. Modulation in hepatic and head kidney parameters of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) induced by copper and chitosan. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology and Pharmacology, 137, 325-33.
Dirilgen, N., 2001. Accumulation of heavy metals in freshwater organisms: Assessment of toxic interactions. Turkish Journal of Chemistry, 25, 173-179.
Govt. of Pakistan position paper., 2010. Brief on water pollution. http://www.environment.gov.pk/PRO_PDF/P ositionPaper/Water%20Pollution.pdf
Huel, G., Boudene, C., lbrahim, M. A., 1981. Cadmium and lead content of maternal and newborn hair. Relationship to parity, birth weight and hypertension. Archives of Environmental Health, 36, 221-227.
IARC, 1993. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans: Beryllium, Cadmium, Mercury and Exposures in the Glass Manufacturing Industry. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer, 58.
IUCN-Pakistan, 1994. “Pollution and The Kabul River”. An analysis and action Planning. Environment and Development department, Civil Secretariat, Peshawar.
Iwashita, M., Shimamura, T., 2003. Long-term variations in dissolved trace elements in the Sagami River and its tributaries (upstream area), Japan. The Science of the Total Environment, 312, 167-179.
Jarup, L., Berglund, M., Elinder, C.G., Nordberg, G., Vahter, M., 1998. Health effects of cadmium exposure, a review of the literature and a risk estimate. Scandinavian Journal of Environment and Health, 24, 1-51.
Kabata-Pendias, A., Pendias, H., 1992. Trace elements in soils and plants, CRS Press, Boca Raton, 365.
Kalay, M., Ay, P., Canil, M., 1999. Heavy metal concentration in fish tissues from the northeast Mediterranean sea. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 63, 673-671.
Nicolau, R., Galera-Cunha A., Lucas, Y., 2006. Transfer of nutrients and labile metals from the continent to the sea by a small Mediterranean river, Chemosphere, 63, 469-476.
Olowu, R. A., Ayejuyo, O. O., Adewuyi, G. O., Adejoro, I. A., Denloye, A. A. B., Babatunde, A. O., Ogundajo, A. L., 2010. Determination of Heavy Metals in Fish Tissues, Water and Sediment from Epe and Badagry Lagoons, Lagos, Nigeria. E-Journal of Chemistry, 7, 215-221. http://www.e-journals.net Osmond, D. L., Line, D. E., Gale J. A., Gannon R. W., Knott C. B., Bartenhagen K. A., Turner M. H., Coffey, S. W., Spooner, J., Wells, J., Walker, J. C., Hargrove, L. L., Foster, M. A., Robillard, P. D., Lehning, D. W., 1995. Water, Soil and Hydro-Environmental Decision Support System, URL:www.water.ncsu.edu/watersheds/info /hmetals.html Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), 2002. http://www.pcrwr.gov.pk/wq_standards.htm
Papafilippaki, A. K., Kotti, M. E., Stavroulakis, G. G., 2008. Seasonal Variations in Dissolved Heavy Metals in the Keritis River, Chania, Greece. Global NEST Journal, 10, 320-325.
Sunderman, F. W. Jr., Dingle, B., Hopfer, S. M., Swift, T., 1988. Acute nickel toxicity in electroplating workers who accidentally ingested a solution of nickel sulfate and nickel chloride. American Journal of Industrial Medicines, 14, 257-266.
Velez, D., Montoro, R., 1998. Arsenic speciation in manufactured seafood products: a review. Journal of food Protection, 61, 1240-1245.
Voegborlo, R. B., Methnani, A. M. E., Abedin, M. Z., 1999. Mercury, cadmium and lead content of canned Tuna fish. Food Chemistry, 67, 341-345.
Vutukuru, S. S., 2005. Acute effects of Hexavalent chromium on survival, oxygen consumption, hematological parameters and some biochemical profiles of the Indian Major carp, Labeo rohita. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2, 456- 462.
Wang, W. X., 2002. Interaction of trace metals and different marine food chains. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 243, 295-309.
WHO Europe, 2010. http://www.euro.who.int/data/assets/pdf_file/0007/78649/E91044.pdf
