Hydrochemical characteristics of surface water and ecological risk assessment of sediments from settlements within the Birim River basin in Ghana

Environmental Systems Research

Table 5 Mean Heavy metals concentration (mean ± SD) in sediments from settlements within the Birim River basin

Settlements	Fe	Pb	Cd	Zn	As
Apapam	549.842 ± 0.003	7.348 ± 0.001	1.532 ± 0.001	5.422 ± 0.002	0.801 ± 0.001
Adukrom	573.950 ± 0.014	6.000 ± 0.004	2.032 ± 0.001	6.371 ± 0.001	0.951 ± 0.001
Kibi	564.975 ± 0.021	6.857 ± 0.014	1.582 ± 0.001	7.471 ± 0.001	0.851 ± 0.001
Bunso	582.691 ± 0.001	7.052 ± 0.007	1.982 ± 0.001	9.671 ± 0.001	1.400 ± 0.000
Nsutam	563.142 ± 0.002	8.947 ± 0.000	1.881 ± 0.000	4.721 ± 0.001	0.550 ± 0.000
Nsuapemso	578.995 ± 0.007	5.399 ± 0.002	1.782 ± 0.001	11.121 ± 0.001	1.251 ± 0.001
Osino	548.945 ± 0.007	5.998 ± 0.001	1.782 ± 0.001	5.171 ± 0.001	0.553 ± 0.004
Ankaase	578.843 ± 0.004	7.047 ± 0.071	1.631 ± 0.000	12.021 ± 0.001	1.101 ± 0.001
Mampong	574.741 ± 0.001	6.348 ± 0.001	1.782 ± 0.001	9.870 ± 0.000	0.750 ± 0.000
Anyinam	572.641 ± 0.001	7.647 ± 0.000	1.232 ± 0.001	9.572 ± 0.002	0.951 ± 0.001
Mean ± SD	568.880 ± 11.900	6.860 ± 1.010	1.720 ± 0.240	8.140 ± 2.640	0.920 ± 0.280
ERL	–	46.7	1.2	150	8.2
ERM	–	218	9.6	410	70
ISQC	–	30.2	0.68	124	7.24
PEL	–	112	4.21	271	41.6

All results are in mg/kg
ERL effect range low (NOAA), ERM effect range medium (NOAA), ISQC Interim sediment quality guidelines (Environment Canada), PEL probable effect level (Environment Canada)