Elemental composition of bottom-sediments from Pangani river basin,Tanzania: lithogenic and anthropogenic sources |
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| Authors: | Harieth Hellar-Kihampa Sanja Potgieter-Vermaak Katleen Van Meel Giuliana Gatto Rotondo Michael Kishimba Réne Van Grieken |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Chemistry, Environmental Analysis Group, Micro and Trace Analysis Centre (MiTAC) , University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1 , Antwerp 2610 , Belgium;2. Institute of Continuing Education , The Open University of Tanzania , P. O. Box 23409, Dar es Salaam , Tanzania hhellar@yahoo.co.uk;4. Division of Chemistry and Environmental Science , Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester St. , M1 5GD, Manchester , United Kingdom;5. Molecular Science Institute , School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand , Private Bag X3, Johannesburg , South Africa;6. Department of Chemistry, Environmental Analysis Group, Micro and Trace Analysis Centre (MiTAC) , University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1 , Antwerp 2610 , Belgium;7. Department of Chemistry , University of Dar es Salaam , P. O. Box 35061, Tanzania , United Republic of Tanzania |
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| Abstract: | River-bed sediments from the Pangani basin, Tanzania, were characterized for elemental compositions, following contamination risks from rapid expansions of human activities in the area. Samples were collected during two individual seasons and analyzed by high-polarizing beam energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) for eight major and 14 trace elements. Evaluation of enrichment factors (EFs) was used to investigate the elemental flux and assess the contributions of natural and anthropogenic influences. The abundances of the major elements followed the order Si?>?Al?>?Fe?>?Ca?>?K?>?Ti?>?Mn?>?P, similar to that of the upper earth's crust, and were generally from the weathering of the bed-rock. The high concentrations of typical anthropogenic trace-elements (Cr??1, V??1, Ni??1, Cu??1, La??1) coupled with high EFs (>2) in some locations indicated contamination associated with agricultural and industrial activities. Factor analysis extracted five principal components that contributed to 96.0% of the total observed variance. The results indicated that river-bed sediments of the Pangani basin were influenced to a larger extent by lithogenic sources than anthropogenic impacts. |
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| Keywords: | sediment chemistry elemental composition X-ray fluorescence contamination Pangani river basin |
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