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Determination of the Levels of Selected Heavy Metals in Water and Sediment of Koga Dam, Mecha District, North Gojjam, Ethiopia
At high quantities, heavy metals are hazardous and can lead to a variety of environmental problems. Thus, the purpose of the study was to use the ICP-OES equipment to measure the concentration of specific heavy metals in the water and sediment of the Koga Dam. Five sampling locations of the Koga Dam were used to gather water and sediment samples, and methods for digesting each sample were developed. The water and sediment of Koga Dam, a significant water source for drinking, sanitation, fishing, and irrigation, were found to contain several heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd) in the current study. Inductively coupled plasma/optical emission spectroscopy was used to determine the concentrations of heavy metals in sediment and water samples. All analyzed metals except Cd were detected in the water and in the sediment sample. According to the results, the concentrations of copper, zinc, and lead were 0.337 mg/L, 0.047 mg/L, and 0.022 mg/L in the water sample and 178 mg/kg, 95.6 mg/kg, and 3.45 mg/kg, respectively, in the sediment samples. The levels of lead in the water samples from Koga Dam exceeded the maximum allowable limit set by the World Health Organization, whereas the levels of copper and zinc were far below the WHO's recommended limit. While the quantities of lead and zinc in sediment samples were much below the WHO's suggested limit, the concentration of copper in sediment above the WHO's maximum allowable limit. Therefore, it is advised to start reforestation efforts nearby and keep an eye on the dam for pollution loads and agricultural activity.
