Levels of Heavy Metals in Surface Water of Oge-Etche River, Etche, Rivers State, Nigeria

The levels of heavy metals in surface water of Oge-Etche River, Etche, Rivers State, Nigeria was assessed. Analysis of the heavy metals was performed after due laboratory procedures with a thermo Atomic Elemental Absorption Spectrophotometer (model SE-71906). The average levels of the investigated heavy metals in the surface water of the river within the stations in the months of investigations were in the range as follows; Fe; 1.6585±0.069-3.8758±0.123mg/L, Pb; 1.7164±0.078-2.2913±0.101mg/L, Cu; 1.4271±0.068-3.7419±0.188mg/L, Cr; 4.6070±0.284- 6.2551±0.241mg/L, Cd; 0.0246±0.018-1.5386±0.051mg/L, Ni; 3.0057±0.040-4.4311±0.135mg/L, and As; 0.0473±0.056-1.3072±0.063mg/L. The average occurrence of heavy metals in the stations of the river during the period of investigation were in the order Cr > Ni > Fe > Cu > Pb > Cd > As. The pollution assessment indices adopted in the evaluation of the influence of anthropogenic input on the level of heavy metals in the river using WHO maximum acceptable limit as basis were, contamination factor, pollution load index, contamination degree, and modified contamination degree. These indices indicated that the heavy metals examined have contaminated the river to a high degree and the river may not be suitable for domestic use.