Fuzzy comprehensive assessment of metal contamination of water and sediments in Ondo Estuary, Nigeria
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Date
2008
Authors
Adebowale, K.O.
Agunbiade, F.O.
Olu-owolabi, B.I.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Abstract
A more reliable methodology for evaluating metal contamination of coastal water and sediments using
fuzzy comprehensive assessment (FCA) is presented by this study. Ten metals (As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn,
Ni, Pb, V and Zn) were investigated in water and sediments from ten sampling sites and formulated into
fuzzy matrix based on three contamination classifications of pristine, moderately enriched and extremely
impacted categories using regulatory limits as criteria. The products of the matrices from membership
function of the observed data and the weight matrices generate indices that classify the degree of metal
impact on the sites. The results of the FCA show that the estuary is negatively impacted by metals in a
range of 45.5–75.1% membership in the extremely impacted category with potential adverse effects on
the ecosystem of the neighbouring Atlantic Ocean. The crude oil exploration activity at site 1 is the major
source input of the metals beside Fe and Mn which are natural to the geological structure of the area while
domestic waste discharges contribute notably to metal contamination in some sites.
Description
Staff Publications
Keywords
fuzzy comprehensive assessment , metals , Ondo estuary , sediments , crude oil exploration , Research Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES::Chemistry
Citation
Adebowale, K. O., Agunbiade, F. O., & Olu-Owolabi, B. I. (2008). Fuzzy comprehensive assessment of metal contamination of water and sediments in Ondo Estuary, Nigeria. Chemistry and Ecology, 24(4), 269-283.