Concentration of heavy metals in River Kabul at Dalda Oil Mill Nowshera Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

The objective of the current investigation was to study the water quality of the River Kabul at Dalda Oil Mill Nowshera with respect to heavy metals contamination. Water samples were collected from three different sites along the course of the River Kabul at Dalda Oil Mill Nowshera. The amount of heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, copper, manganese, lead, and zinc were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The majority of the samples were found to exceed from the permissible limit recommended by WHO. The ranges of the heavy metals obtained during the present research were Zn 2.11-2.8 ppm; Cu 0.3-2.23 ppm; Cd 0.12-0.88 ppm; Pb 0.02-2.06 ppm; Cr 0.02-0.16 ppm and Mn 0.4-1.11 ppm respectively.