Investigation into the metal contamination of the Plankenburg and Diep Rivers, Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract

Metal contamination in the Plankenburg and Diep Rivers (Western Cape) was investigated over a 12 and 9 month period, respectively. Aluminium (Al), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were determined using the nitric acid digestion method and analysed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). For both rivers the Aland Fe concentrations were higher than that for all the other metals analysed for in sediment and water samples. The highest concentrations recorded in the Plankenburg River were 13.6 mg·ℓ-1 (water – Week 18, Site B) and 15 018 mg·kg-1 (sediment – Week 1, Site C) for Al, and 48 mg·ℓ-1 (water – Week 43, Site A) and 14 363.8 mg·kg-1 (sediment – Week 1, Site A) for Fe. The highest concentrations recorded in the Diep River were 4 mg·ℓ-1 (water – Week 1, Site A) and 19 179 mg·kg-1 (sediment – Week 1, Site C) for Al, and 513 mg·ℓ-1 (water – Week 27, Site A) and 106 379.5 mg·kg-1 (sediment – Week 9, Site C) for Fe.

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