Assessment of heavy metals and physico-chemical characteristics of water and sediments, Kurram River (Pakistan)
Keywords:
Water quality; Sediments; River pollution; Light metals; Heavy metals.Abstract
This study was conducted to analyze water and sediment samples of Kurram River from upstream to downstream to observe the trend of changes in physico-chemical properties like pH, E.C, TSS, TDS, Ca, K, Mg and Na and heavy metal concentrations (Cr, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Mn and Fe). The results of the study revealed that Kurram River quality is continuously degrading day by day by entry of toxic metals from different sources like discharge from industries, municipalities, waste dumping in the vicinity of the river, urban and agriculture runoff and atmospheric deposition. A decrease in water and sediments contamination level was observed down the stream. The physico-chemical parameters of water samples were observed within the permissible limits of World Health Organization (WHO), except for dumping sites near Ghori wala and Sikna Sikander Khel. TDS concentrations (553 mg L-1) and TSS concentrations (6.60 mg L-1) were above the permissible limits of United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The concentrations of Cr (2.50-8.0 mg L-1, Zn (3.5-6.0 mg L-1), Cu (2.5-7 mg L-1), Ni (2.0-10.5 mg L-1), Pb (2.5-9.5 mg L-1), Cd (0.042-0.14), Mn (4-10 mg L-1) and Fe (3.5-13.25 mg L-1) were observed to be higher in water samples of dumping site near Bannu city as compared to WHO, USEPA and Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PakEPA). In sediment samples great variations in the concentrations of Cr (10.2-18.5 mg kg-1), Zn (3.0-8.5) mg kg-1, Cu (3.50-
13.2 mg kg-1), Ni (3.5-12 mg kg-1), Pb (1.0-12.5 mg kg-1), Cd (0.101-0.151 mg kg-1), Mn (8.7-14 mg kg-1) and Fe (12-46.5 mg kg-1) were observed. Heavy metal concentrations in sediment samples were higher than water samples. While individual heavy metal concentrations in sediment samples followed the order of Fe>Cr>Mn>Pb>Cu>Ni>Zn>Cd whereas in water the order was Fe>Mn>Ni>Pb>Cu>Zn>Cr>Cd.
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