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Geochemical contamination in the Densu Estuary, Gulf of Guinea, Ghana

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Abstract

Chemical contaminants are released from mining, domestic and industrial effluents into an aquatic environment. Sediments (n = 10) were collected with an Eckman grab at ten stations in the Densu Estuary for ecological risk assessment. The spatial distribution of organic characteristics and ecological risk of metals—zinc, lead, copper, mercury, iron, and manganese in sediment—were analyzed using standard methods. The organic parameters occurred in the ranges, as follows: % C, 0.76 to 2.05, % TN, 0.06 to 0.015; % TP, 0.44 to 1.38; and C/N, 12.31 to 34.81. The ranges of metal concentrations (mg/kg) were as follows: Fe, 201.10 to 720.90; Mn, 40.10 to 152.70; Zn, 7.3 to 158.3; Pb, 1.9 to 84.7; Cu 3.4 to 23.0; and Hg, 0.01 to 0.05. The mean concentration of metals in the sediment were Fe > Mn > Pb > Zn > Cu > Hg. The highest mean concentration of Fe suggested redox conditions in the Densu Estuary. There is a low contamination factor (CF) for five metals (Zn, Hg, Fe, Cu, and Mn) (CF < 1) to high contamination of Pb (3 < CF ≤ 6). The average Pb concentration was above local and geological backgrounds, suggesting an anthropogenic source of pollution from industrial and domestic effluents and agrochemicals. The sediment was extremely enriched by Pb (EF > 50) with a positive index of geoaccumulation (0 < Igeo ≤ 2) than other metals. There is considerable to a very high degree of contamination (DC) (3 ≤ DC ≥ 6) of metals in the sediment of Densu Estuary. The potential ecological risk index (≤ 40 PERI < 80) suggested a very low to moderate ecological risk of metal pollution. The study provides baseline knowledge on geochemical contamination in tropical estuarine systems for the development of effective chemical control strategies towards sustainable management of coastal waters.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all those who made the research work possible and a big thanks to the Department of Marine and Fisheries for support and laboratory analyses. Profound gratitude goes to Prof. Dr. Hartmut Stuetzel (Leibniz Universität Hannover) and Dean Emeritus John Farrington (Woods Hole Oceanography Institute, USA) for their scientific support.

Funding

The research was funded by Volkswagen Foundation, Germany (Grant No. 89371) to LGA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 99, Legon, Accra, Ghana

    Lailah Gifty Akita & Elvis Nyarko

  2. Regional Maritime University, P. O. Box GP 1115, Accra, Ghana

    Elvis Nyarko

  3. Alfred Wegner Institute Helmholtz Centre of Polar and Marine Research, Am Alten Hafen 26, 27568, Bremerhaven, Germany

    Jürgen Laudien

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  1. Lailah Gifty Akita
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  3. Elvis Nyarko
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Contributions

Lailah Gifty Akita: conceptualization, investigation, methodology, formal analysis, funding acquisition, and writing-original draft preparation. Laudien Juergen: conceptualization, funding acquisition, and writing-original draft preparation. Nyarko Elvis: methodology, funding acquisition, writing-review, and editing.

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Correspondence to Lailah Gifty Akita.

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The original article was revised: The correct equations are presented in this paper.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 11 Enrichment factors estimated for the metals measured at the Densu Estuary, Ghana
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Table 12 Contamination factors estimated for the metals measured at the Densu Estuary, Ghana
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Table 13 Geoaccumulation indices estimated for the metals measured at the Densu Estuary, Ghana
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Table 14 Pearson’s correlation for organics and metals concentrations in the sediment of the Densu Estuary, Ghana
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Akita, L.G., Laudien, J. & Nyarko, E. Geochemical contamination in the Densu Estuary, Gulf of Guinea, Ghana. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 42530–42555 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10035-4

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