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Application of a Sediment Quality Index for the assessment and monitoring of metals and organochlorines in a premier conservation area

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Abstract

The physical and chemical characteristics of surface sediments from a leading conservation area, namely the Kruger National Park, were determined in order to identify potential stressors in the systems that may contribute to overall deterioration in sediment quality within the reserve, leading to potential threats to the aquatic biota conserved within these stretches of river. Sediment samples were collected during four surveys (two low flow and two high flow) from 2009 to 2011. Samples were analysed for organic content, grain size determination, metals and various organochlorine pesticides. Results indicated that the Olifants River sediments did not show any great improvement over the years and point towards the continued input of pollutants into this system. Sediment quality in the Luvuvhu and Letaba Rivers is better than that of sediments from the Olifants River in terms of metals, but metal concentrations are still comparable and point towards anthropogenic inputs of metals into these rivers. Even though the data indicate that these systems are being contaminated with both metals and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), levels were still below contaminated sediments from around the globe. Sediment Quality Index scores showed that the sediment quality of these rivers is in a relatively good state. High metal concentrations were the drivers behind lowered sediment quality, and in some cases certain OCPs played a role. Both metals and OCP concentrations were highly correlated with finer grain sizes. Sediment assessments are not routinely applied in South Africa resulting in very little reference or background data available for the area. The metal concentrations for the study area were generally lower than those for other studies in more polluted regions. The study also contributes to the available knowledge on surrounding metal pollution in riverine sediments in South Africa.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Zoology Department and Spectrum at the University of Johannesburg for the use of laboratories and equipment. The authors would like to thank the Water Research Commission (WRC) of South Africa (Project K5-1922, N.J. Smit, PI) for the financial support of this study. Views expressed are those of the authors and not those of the WRC. The authors also wish to thank SANParks for logistical support during the study and Dr. Wynand Malherbe, North-West University, for generating the study site map. The financial assistance of the National Research Foundation (NRF) towards this research is hereby acknowledged. Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at are those of the authors and are not necessarily to be attributed to the NRF. This study was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan awarded to M. Ishizuka (No. 24248056) and Y. Ikenaka (Nos. 26304043 and 15H02825) as well as a foundation of JSPS Core to Core Program (AA Science Platforms) and Bilateral Joint Research Project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Kingsway Campus, University of Johannesburg, Box 524, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa

    Ruan Gerber & Johan H. J. van Vuren

  2. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, Potchefstroom Campus, North West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, South Africa

    Nico J. Smit, Yoshinori Ikenaka & Victor Wepener

  3. Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate school of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan

    Shouta M. M. Nakayama, Yared B. Yohannes, Yoshinori Ikenaka & Mayumi Ishizuka

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  1. Ruan Gerber
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  2. Nico J. Smit
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  4. Shouta M. M. Nakayama
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Correspondence to Ruan Gerber.

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Gerber, R., Smit, N.J., van Vuren, J.H.J. et al. Application of a Sediment Quality Index for the assessment and monitoring of metals and organochlorines in a premier conservation area. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 19971–19989 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5206-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5206-z

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