Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Contamination of Sediments of Obunagha River in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

The objective of this paper is to investigate the Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Contamination of Sediments of Obunagha River in Bayelsa State, Nigeria using relevant standard methods. The mean Contamination Factors (CF) indicated a moderate contamination levels across all metals, with Zn (3.224), Mn (2.352), Cd (2.483), Cr (2.686), Ni (2.701), Pb (2.689), and Cu (0.976). The ecological risk landscape is complex, with moderate levels of zinc, manganese, and Cadmium, and varying degrees of contamination for Chromium, Nickel, Lead, and Copper. The Pollution Contamination Index (PCI) values reveal significant contamination, especially for Nickel and Lead. The Geo-Accumulation Index (Igeo) values indicated low to moderate pollution levels in sediment samples, with Zn (0.275), Cd (0.168), Pb (0.168), and Ni (0.275), while the Enrichment Factor shows moderate enrichments. The study revealed moderate pollution of sediments and potential risks for both human populations and aquatic ecosystems. Continual monitoring is recommended.