Authors : Onesmus Wambua Mwenzwa; Alloice Ogweno

Volume/Issue : Volume 8 - 2023, Issue 6 - June

Google Scholar : https://bit.ly/3TmGbDi

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8134471

Abstract : Humans and hydrological systems interact at the point where water resources are managed, and this has profound effects on human settlement patterns and economic growth.. The wood treatment plants around Nakuru County area accumulated over time could pose serious health problems to the residents living around River Molo and its environs. Wood treatment could contribute heavily on the accumulation of heavy metals. Therefore, research on the determination of physico- chemical characteristics, Geochemical speciation of heavy metals and heavy metals in water and soils from River Molo is very important.Water and soil samples will be gatheredduring dry and wet seasons from the selected sampling points. The water samples will be analyzed fordissolved oxygen, temperature, dissolved solids, electrical conductivity , PH and heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Hg, As and Cd) using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) . Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) with Perkin-Elmer 3000 was used for analysis of heavy metals. Lead (Pb) concentration ranged between 0.06 - 10.24 mgkg-1 , Cd was within the range of 0.04-0.57 mgkg- 1 , Ni concentration ranged between 0.29-30.24 mgkg-1 , and Zn between 0.1-91.58 mgkg-1 in water from the Nakuru County. Concentrations ofPb and Cd were higher than the m permissible limits stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international set standards.

Keywords : Concentration, elements, heavy metals, permissible limits, metal speciation.