Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/11189/4581
Title: Geochemical assessment of sediment in cape town harbour, south africa
Authors: Okoro, HK 
Fatoki, Olalekan S 
Adekola, Folahan A 
Ximba, Bhekumusa J 
Keywords: Marine sediment;Geochemistry;X-Ray diffractometry;Dockyard;Heavy metals
Issue Date: 2014
Publisher: African Journals Online
Abstract: Geochemical assessment of marine sediments collected from Cape Town harbour was carried out using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, Fourier-Transform-infrared and X-ray diffractrometry techniques. The clay mineral phase consists of biotites, kaolinites and halites. The ranges of concentrations (mg/kg) of trace metals were: Cd (1.69±0.075 – 0.080±0.002), Si (0.37±0.11 – 0.023±0.012), Fe (30.01±2.04 – 2.23±0.12), Cu (1462±39 – 1.51±0.11), Al (19.92±2.24 – 1.25±0.13), Sn (63.98±4.97 – 1.15±0.38), Pb (252±29 – 8.73±1.06), Hg (1.002±0.168 – 0.049±0.005) and Zn (1.26±0.07 – 0.022±0.004) mg kg-1. The enrichment factors of Sn, Pb, Zn, Fe, Cd, Al and Hg revealed anthropogenic inputs of these metals into the marine environment. The enrichment factor of Cu was less than 1 and this suggests that its presence was largely due to natural changes. The results are indications of the contributions of trace metals contained in the runoffs from the domestic and urban drains, as well as the inflow storm water. Ship repair activities appeared to constitute a major factor responsible for the higher metal contamination in the dockyard areas. The geomineral analyses revealed the presence of quartz, pyrite, and calcite and carrolite minerals as the main constituents of the marine sediments.
URI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v28i1.3
http://hdl.handle.net/11189/4581
Appears in Collections:Appsc - Journal Articles (DHET subsidised)
Prof. Bhekumusa Jabulani Ximba
Prof. Olalekan S. Fatoki

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
Okoro_HK_Fatok_OS_Adekola_FA_Ximba_BJ _AppSci_2014.pdfMain article377.29 kBAdobe PDFView/Open
Show full item record

Page view(s)

55
Last Week
0
Last month
0
checked on Feb 9, 2021

Download(s)

15
checked on Feb 9, 2021

Google ScholarTM

Check


This item is licensed under a Creative Commons License Creative Commons