Available on line www.jocpr.com Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research __________________________________________________ ISSN No: 0975-7384 CODEN(USA): JCPRC5 J. Chem. Pharm. Res., 2010, 2(3):504-527 504 Heavy metals level in streams of Tarkwa gold mining area of Ghana L K. Boamponsem 1,2* , J. I. Adam 1 , S. B. Dampare 3,4 , E. Owusu-Ansah 2 and G. Addae 5 1 Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University Post Office, Kumasi, Ghana 2 Department of Laboratory Technology, School of Physical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana 3 National Nuclear Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, P.O. Box LG 80, Legon-Accra, Ghana 4 Department of Earth Sciences, Okayama University, Tsushima-Naka, 3-Chome, Okayama, Japan 5 Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana ______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT Heavy metals concentrations in water and sediment samples collected from five streams in Tarkwa gold mining district of Ghana were studied. The water and sediment samples were analysed for As, Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Mn, Sb, Th, and V, using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). The results of this study generally showed elevated levels of all the ten examined elements in the water and sediment samples. Angonabeng and Bediabewu rivers recorded high levels of Sb, Mn, Cu, Al, Co, Hg and As in their water samples. The Contamination Factor (CF) results revealed that Teberebie springs are mainly polluted with Sb, Mn V, Al and Cd; and Mile 7 spring sediment is mainly polluted with Sb. Teberebie spring is heavily affected by anthropogenic and natural sources of the ten examined metals according to its Pollution Load Index (PLI). The water-sediment correlation matrix, Pollution Load Index (PLI) and the Contamination degree (Cd) results from this study have revealed that the concentrations of the examined metals in the water column depend on the amount in the sediments, and are directly proportional. Key words: Instrumental neutron activation analysis, Pollution indices, Streams, Heavy metals, Tarkwa. ______________________________________________________________________________