Health Risk Assessment of Some Heavy Metals Contents in Sediment and Water at Balanga Dam Gombe State, Nigeria

Heavy metals are occurring in natural waters bodies can be found in both dissolved and particles form which are essential to living organisms, yet may become highly toxic when present in high concentrations. The study was aimed at evaluating heavy metals potential in Balanga Dam reservoir. Four samples of water and sediments where heavy metals were investigated (Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, As, Ni, Fe, Mn and Zn) by their concentrations using AAS. Heavy metals concentrations in both water and sediment were beyond the recommended permissible limits range 0.002 to 0.004 mg/kg. Hazard Index of Non-carcinogenic in heavy metals in Water were calculated in three pathways; ingestion, inhalation and dermal range; Mn=2.75E-05 to Pb = 1.04E-06 while Hazard Index in Sediments range; Mn=2.52E-06 to As = 1.57E+07. Both water and Sediments showed HI >1 indicated adverse health risk effect. Cancer risk of ingestion pathway in water showed value of Cr = 8.02E-06 > Cd=1.68E-06 > As=2.50E-07 > Pb=1.28E-09 has the least value. Inhalation path way showed Cr = 1.24E-09> Cd=2.48E-10 > As=3.81E-11> Pb=9,328E-13 which was too low. Cancer risk assessment of carcinogenic heavy metals in sediments were also shown in two specific pathways whereby the result indicated the same values with the water pathway. Physicochemical parameters of water and sediments showed the mean pH values of 6.16 and the conductivity have the mean value of 150 μscm-1. Heavy metals investigated in water and sediments showed concentrations beyond permissible limits constituted a threat to aquatic life and human health hazard and cancer risk on human will persisted on body systems of humans and aquatic life at certain prolong time.