Determination of mercury and zinc in river water, sediment and fish from the Offin River and its tributaries

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2000-02-01
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Mercury and Zinc levels in River Water, River Sediments and different species of fish from the Offin River, Pra River and some tributaries of the Offin River- Oda and Fum were determined. The mean levels of Hg and Zn in river water and sediment from the Offin River were 0.945μg/L and 0.194 mg/L for water: 0.545μg/g and 0.093 mg/g for sediments respectively. The mean c oncentrations of Hg and Zn in the Pra River were 0.932μg/L and 0. 169mg/L for river water: 0.68μg/g and O.056mg/g for sediments respectively. The tributary Fum presented 0.783μg/L and 0.186mg/L as mean water Hg and Zn concentration and 0.469μglg and 0.O69mgIg mean sediment concentration respectively. The tributary Oda offered only mean water Hg and Zn concentrations of 0.817μg/L and 0.l67mg/L. No sediment samples were collected from this tributary. Fish types analysed were: Synodontis nigriventris, Alestes nurse, Chrysichthys nizrodizitatus, Hetobranhus, Sarothrodon melanothron,. Oreochromis spp, Marcusenius usherii and Marcusenius, abadii General mean Mercury concentration recorded in fish was 0.424μg/g in June and 0.101μg/g in February whilst Zinc in fish gave a mean of 0.05lmg/g for February. The concentration of mercury and zinc determined from this work was less than the 1976 WHO and EPA Hg and Zn standard of 5μg/L and 5μg/g respectively.
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A thesis submitted to the Board of Postgraduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of Master of Science Degree in Analytical Chemistry, 2000
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