ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Assessment of Temporal Variation of Water Quality
Parameters and Ecotoxic Trace Metals in Southern
Nigeria Coastal Water
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1
Department of Fisheries, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt Rivers State, P.M.B. 5323, Nigeria
2
Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
3
East Coast Environmental Research Institute, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Gong Badak Campus,
21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
4
Institute of Climate Adaptation and Marine Biotechnology (ICAMB), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT),
21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
5
Research Center for Marine and Land Bioindustry, Earth Sciences and Maritime Organization,
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Pemenang 83352, Indonesia
Submission date: 2023-03-18
Final revision date: 2023-04-28
Acceptance date: 2023-05-29
Online publication date: 2023-08-04
Publication date: 2023-09-08
Corresponding author
Okechukwu Kenneth Wokeh
Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Mohamad Nor Azra
Institute of Marine Biotechnology (IMB), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), Kuala Nerus, 21030, Terengganu, Malaysia
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2023;32(5):4493-4502
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ABSTRACT
This study investigated the temporal variations of water quality parameters and ecotoxic trace metal
contamination in the Opuroama River over a year, with a focus on providing baseline data for regulating
water and fisheries resources in the area. Metal concentrations in sediment, water, and four aquatic
organisms were analyzed for cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) using atomic
absorption spectrophotometry. Metal concentration in C. amnicola occurred in the order: Cr>Cd>Ni>Pb,
U. tangeri: Cr>Pb>Cd>Ni, T. fuscatus: Cr>Pb>Ni>Cd, P. monodon: Pb>Cr>Ni>Cd, while in sediment,
the order was Cr>Pb>Cd>Ni, and water occurred in the order: Cr>Pb>Ni>Cd. Results showed temporal
variations in water physicochemical parameters, with Cd and Ni concentrations within 0.003 mg/L, and
0.02 mg/L reported as set standard limits for aquatic ecosystems except for Cd in December, which
exceeded permissible limits. Pb concentrations were below the threshold of 0.01 mg/L from January
to May but progressively increased and exceeded limits from June to December. Cd had the highest
mean concentration in sediment and the least in water and aquatic organisms, while Ni had the highest
mean concentration in U. tangeri and water and the lowest in T. fuscatus and P. monodon. Pb had the
highest concentration in water and the lowest in C. amnicola, while U. tangeri had the highest mean Cr value. The study suggests potential health risks to humans and the environment from the presence of
potentially toxic elements in the studied media.