Water Quality and Trace Metal Distribution in a Pristine Lake in the Lake Basin in Kenya

Water and surface sediment samples taken from various locations within Lake Kanyaboli in the Lake Victoria basin were analysed to determine the concentration and distribution of heavy metals. There were wide ranges in concentrations of the metals among the sampling points analysed. Sediment concentr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 2008-04, Vol.80 (4), p.362-368
Main Authors: Ochieng, E. Z, Lalah, J. O, Wandiga, S. O
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropogenic factors
Aquatic Pollution
Cadmium
Copper
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecotoxicology
Electric Conductivity
Environment
Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Health
Fresh Water - analysis
Freshwater
Geochemistry
Heavy metals
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Kenya
Lake basins
Lakes
Lead
Limnology
Metal concentrations
Metals, Heavy - analysis
Nephelometry and Turbidimetry
Oxygen - analysis
Pollution
Sediment samplers
Soil Science & Conservation
Spectrophotometry, Atomic
Temperature
Trace Elements - analysis
Trace metals
Waste Water Technology
Water Management
Water Pollution Control
Water Pollution, Chemical - analysis
Water quality
Zinc
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Summary:Water and surface sediment samples taken from various locations within Lake Kanyaboli in the Lake Victoria basin were analysed to determine the concentration and distribution of heavy metals. There were wide ranges in concentrations of the metals among the sampling points analysed. Sediment concentrations (μg/g dry weight) ranged from n.d.-2.54 (Ag), 0.25-1.08 (Cd), 0.89-1.64 (Co), 3.7-7.73 (Cr), 1.80-30.27 (Cu), 1073-2627 (Mn), 22.61-55.60 (Ni), 11.42-153.9 (Pb), 40.46-154.7 (Sn) and 65.0-146.5 (Zn). Dissolved metal concentrations (μg/L) ranged from n.d.-9.22 (Ag), n.d.-5.54 (Cd), n.d.-8.30 (Co), 5.26-60.82 (Cr), 10.96-43.11 (Cu), 184.7-375.9 (Mn), 1.84-38.3 (Ni), 5.98-47.77 (Pb), n.d.-540.6 (Sn) and 14.5-55.9 (Zn). Compared with WHO standards and other freshwaters worldwide, this lake was found to be unpolluted, with all metals, except Mn, being detected at concentrations lower than the highest desirable levels and maximum permissible levels. Some of the toxic metals, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd (in sediment) and Ag, Co and Pb (in water) were detected at lower concentrations than those found in the polluted Kisumu Pier in Winam Gulf in the Lake basin, which confirms the anthropogenic influence on the latter.
ISSN:0007-4861
1432-0800
DOI:10.1007/s00128-008-9372-2