Preliminary Geochemical Assessment of Asa River Sediments, North Central Nigeria
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Date
2017
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Faculty of Science, Adamawa State University, Nigeria
Abstract
Preliminary geochemical assessment of Asa river sediments has been carried out with the
aim of evaluating the concentrations, extent of contamination and possible sources of metals
in the sediments using XRF and ICP-MS techniques. Geochemical results of major oxides
show that SiO2 has the highest value (range=72.4 to 94.1%; average=85.66%), others ranged
from 0.01% in Cr2O3
, P2O5 and MnO
2 to 11.6 % in Al2O3. Enrichment of the major oxides
according to UCC, PAAS and NASC shows that only SiO
2 is highly enriched in the
sediments (1.3, 1.36 and 1.32 respectively) while others have values less than 1 (that is they
are depleted in the sediments). Weathering indication parameters indicate some degree of
intensive weathering. Ba, Sr and Zr have the highest average concentrations (1043, 138 and
1155ppm respectively) above other trace elements. Ba, Hf and Zr are highly enriched in the
sediments (2.09; 1.9), (15.13; 4.7), (7.22;6.08) according to ASC and UCC average values
respectively, while the rest are depleted with values <1. Ce has the highest average value of
29.08ppm above other rare earth elements. Ce may be sourced from glauconites. Tm has the
lowest average value (0.18ppm). Rare earth elements show enrichment values <1, meaning
that they are depleted in the sediments. Metals/elements ranged from low contamination
factor to very high contamination factor, low degree of contamination to very high degree of
contamination and the geo-accumulation index ranged from practically no contamination to
moderately contaminated. Contamination Factors revealed the influence of both
anthropogenic and geogenic on the metal concentrations in the sediments.
Description
Keywords
Geochemistry, Asa River Sediments, Enrichment, Contamination Factor, Weathering Indications