Browsing by Author "Lusweti, Elizabeth"

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    Heavy Metals Concentration in Sediments and Characterization of Hydrochemical Facies in the Surface Water In Lokichar Basin, Turkana County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2025-06) Lusweti, Elizabeth
    Surface water contamination due to heavy metals has become a great concern to the health of human beings. Thus the research examined the concentration of heavy metals in water sediments and the characterization of the hydro-chemical facies of the surface wa-ter in the Lokichar basin. The key objectives included the investigation of the selected physical and chemical properties in surface water, determination of the level of concentra-tion of selected heavy metals in sediments and characterization of the hydro-chemical fa-cies of surface water in the Lokichar basin. Water and sediment samples were collected by the typical method, processed and analyzed. The parameters which were sampled insi-tu are Temperature, pH, Turbidity and Electrical Conductivity while BOD,COD, D.O, pH, Sulphate, Nitrate, Magnesium, Chloride, Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Zinc, Iron, Cadmium, Arsenic and Lead were sampled and analysed in the laboratory. ANOVA was used to determine the variations between water quality parameters. Piper and Durov dia-grams were used to determine the hydro-chemical facies of water. Finally, samples of sediments were analysed using geo –accumulation (Igeo) and contamination factor (CF) to determine the heavy metal concentration and sources. The results showed that there was no significant difference in each site (p ˃ 0.05) in all physical-chemical water quality parameters in different sampling sites. The hydro-chemical analysis revealed the water types in the region as; 40 % Ca2+-Mg2+-Cl-SO42- type, 40% Ca2+Mg2+-HCO3-, 20 % Na+-K+-HCO3-, with no Na+-K+-Cl--SO42- water type in 50 % of the sample. Durov and Piper diagrams illustrated that a simple mineral dissolution or mixing process is mainly respon-sible for variation in the hydro-geochemistry of surface water in the study area. Igeo re-vealed that Lokichar Basin was practically uncontaminated with anthropogenic sources with values ranging between 0-1. The CF indicated that the pollution intensity ranged from low to moderate in Lokichar Basin. Overall, it can be concluded that oil exploration has not interfered with the quality of the surface water resources in the Lokichar Ba-sin.The study recommends continuous monitoring of surface water resources in Lokichar Basin,