Heavy metal content of water and sediment samples from three rivers in Marinduque

• Main Author: Quing, Lorena L.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1996
• Subjects: Heavy metals; River sediments > Marinduque; Water > Analysis; Water quality; Biochemical oxygen demand
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/1387
• Institution: De La Salle University

Water and sediment samples for physico-chemical and heavy metal analysis were collected from Binunga, Hinapulan and Makulapnit rivers in Marinduque for six consecutive months from July to December, 1995. The physico-chemical parameters such as pH, temperature (C), conductivity (umHOs/cm), D.O. (mg/L), total suspended solids (mg/L) and soil particle size percent were determined and correlated with the total metals obtained. Acid digested water and sediment samples were aspirated to AAS to be analyzed for the presence of copper, cadmium, lead and zinc. Generally, both the water and sediment samples exceeded the maximum allowable limit given by the DENR. Water samples had copper concentrations ranging from 0.021-7.43 ug/mL cadmim concentrations ranging from 0.0005-0.058 ug/mL lead concentrations ranging from 0.00 - 0.66 ug/mL and zinc concentrations ranging from 0.00075 - 4.77 ug/mL. Sediment samples had copper concentrations ranging from 5.39 - 82.67 ug/mL cadmium concentrations ranging from 0.0515 - 0.945 ug/mL lead concentrations ranging from 1.98 - 2.62 ug/mL and zinc concentrations ranging from 3.73 - 29.37 ug/mL. Sediment samples have a higher metal content than the water samples. Such a condition warrant continous monitoring because of the ill effects these heavy metals can cause to the flora and fauna in the rivers and to the people in the vicinity.