Oluwabamise L Faboya, Olatunbosun S Sojinu and Oluwadayo O Sonibare
Keywords: Rivers, canals, ecosystem, enrichment factor, human health.
Abstract: The concentrations, source and contamination status of heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) in surface sediments of rivers and canals in the oil producing area of the Niger Delta were investigated. The average concentrations of individual metals ranged from 0.09 to 19.0 ug/g and 0.11 to 24.2 ug/g in rivers and canals sediment samples respectively. All the metals studied have very low Enrichment factor (EF) which indicated a natural origin. An assessment using a set of widely cited sediments guidelines indicated that the levels of heavy metals concentrations in Niger delta sediments do not pose any serious adverse risk to the ecosystem and human health. The concentration of metals in the samples were comparable to those of aquatic systems classified as uncontaminated from other regions of the world.
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