Trace Element Assessment of Eleyele up Stream Lake, Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

This research work was carried out to assess the concentrations of selected trace elements in Eleyele upstream lake, Ibadan, South-Western, Nigeria. Nine water samples and eight sediment samples were analyzed for their physiochemical and trace element properties to quantify pollution of the lake by trace elements employing geochemical analytic tools such as ICP-MS, XRD, and XRF. The chemical index of alteration (C.I.A.) shows an average value of 75.21, 89.64, and 82.39, respectively, which shows zero to low affinity or similarities between C.I.A and the trace elements. The Chemical Index of weathering (CIW) value shows that the trace elements sources are related to the basement rock's chemical weathering. Plagioclase Index of Alteration (P.I.A.) shows that there are low to no similarities indicating the source of the selected trace element is not clay. The trace elements analyzed are As, Ca, Cd, Co, Ce, Cu, Ga, K, Li, Mo, Na, Ni, Sb and Zr. As, Ca, K, Na with a constant concentration of 0.5µg/l, 0.02µg/l, 0.1µg/l, and 0.2µg/l, respectively, Cd, Co, Ce, Cu, Ga, Li, Mo, Ni, Sb, and Zr have an average concentration value of 0.04µg/l, 0.67µg/l, 0.05µg/l, 1.01µg/l, 0.06µg/l, 0.72µg/l, 0.14µg/l, 0.79µg/l, 0.05µg/l and 0.03µg/l, respectively. The result analyses show that Cu has the highest concentration in the water and the trace element ranges in abundant from Cu> Ni> Li> As> Co> Mo> Ga> Cd> Sb> Cs> Zr> Ca> Na> K. Constant work is recommended for Eleyele Lake to protect the lake from an increase in the level of contamination.