Environmental Impact Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in River Niger: A Life Cycle Approach

Environmental pollution is a pressing global issue, with heavy metals being a significant concern. Water, sediment, and fish samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters and heavy metals. The results were, total solids (2.26-2.84 mg/L), total dissolved solids (2.22-2.84 mg/L), total suspended solids (0.04-0.22 mg/l), and nitrate (4.51-6.10 mg/l).For the heavy metals, copper (Cu):0.008 to 0.360 mg/L in water, 0.102 to 0.360 mg/kg in fish, and 0.036 to 0.222 mg/kg in sediment, lead (Pb): 0.000 to 0.330 mg/L in water, 0.150 to 0.330 mg/kg in fish, and 0.010 to 0.320 mg/kg in sediment. Mercury (Hg): 0.000 to 2.630 mg/L in water and fish and zinc (Zn): 0.000 to 3.376 mg/L in water, 0.929 to 3.376 mg/kg in fish, and 0.309 to 2.917 mg/kg in sediment. Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) showed bioaccumulation of Cu, Pb, and Zn. Human Toxicity Index (HTI) ranged from 332.699 to 683.04 while Ecotoxicity Potential (ETP) ranged from 318.424 to 649.586. The result shows pollution in River Niger, the need reduce it in order to protect human and the environmental health.