Geospatial Distribution and Analysis of Trace Element Geochemistry along the lower Reaches of Kassa River System Younger Granite Province, North Central Nigeria

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the Geospatial distribution of trace elements including Iron along the lower reaches of the Kassa river system within the Younger granite province of North Central Nigeria. A total of thirty sediment sample were collected to investigate the concentration and potential environmental effects of trace elements within the area of study. The X-Ray fluorescence spectroscopy was used to determine the concentration of the trace elements including Iron while geographic information system technique of interpolation was used to interpolate not the element present but their ambient concentration as well. Results showed that the relative concentration of trace elements in the lower reaches of the Kassa river sediments is in the order Fe˃Ze˃Pb˃Th˃Rb˃Nb. Pollution Load Index values of studied area ranged from 0.596-1.476ppm which testify that the river sediments are mostly unpolluted except for two of the sampling sites. However, the Igeo values indicate that anthropogenic activities in the study area contribute to the distribution and concentration of the trace elements within the area of study.