THE CONCENTRATION OF SELECTED HEAVY METALS IN RIVER MUKURUMUDZI , KWALE COUNTY

Abstract

Rivers are the major sources of water used in cities and its suburbs. This water may either be treated or untreated. River banks could be very busy, with varied activities ranging from farming to industries and other domestic household activities. The present study aimed at investigating the concentration of heavy metals in river Mukurumudzi, Kwale County. Water and sediments were sampled in four points along the river impacted by mining, human settlements and agricultural activities for three different seasons. The samples were analyzed for Fe, Pb, Cd, Cu and As using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Sediment quality was also analyzed by the determination of contamination factor (CF) and Index of geo-accumulation (I-geo) values. Results were interpreted using Minitab statistical software and Excel spreadsheets.