The seasonal influence on the spatial distribution of dissolved selected metals in Lake Naivasha, Kenya

Abstract

Lake Naivasha is the only freshwater Lake in Rift Valley, in Kenya. It lies in a fertile semi-arid basin. The Lake has no surface water outlet and is presumed to be under stress. Dissolved metals are directly taken up by bacteria, algae, plants, and planktonic and benthic organisms. Dissolved metals can also adsorb to particulate matter in water column and enter aquatic organisms through various routes. Cadmium, copper, lead and zinc may bioaccumulate within lower organisms, yet they do not biomagnify up the food chain as do mercury and selenium. This study reports on the levels and distribution of dissolved heavy metals and investigates the influence of physicochemical parameters on metal mobilization. The bioavailability of selected metals was investigated by relating the levels of dissolved metals to that in fish. Water abstraction for irrigation and domestic use, compounded with organic matter inflow will affect physicochemical parameters and hence influences the mobilization of heavy metals. Dissolved Zn correlated highly with sediment pH (r = 0.67) indicating that dissolution increases with increase in pH. In addition, the fact that the pH also correlated positively with organic matter r = 0.50, Eh r = 0.63, temperature r = 0.56 and dissolved oxygen r = 56, would suggest that organic bound Zn contributed significantly to the concentration of dissolved Zn. In situ flux experiments indicated that the fringing papyrus reeds located along the shores of Lake Naivasha provided sites for metal immobilization due to their coprecipitation on redox sensitive.