Advanced Journal of Toxicology: Current Research
Advanced Journal of Toxicology: Current Research
Advanced Journal of Toxicology: Current Research
Current Research
Research Article
Nigeria
2
Department of Industrial Chemistry, Ekiti State University Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
3
Department of Chemistry, Ekiti State University Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
Cite this article: Oguntuase MA, Adebawore AA, Osundare OS, Adamalekun SE, Araromi AA, et al.
Comparative Analysis of Physicochemical Properties of Some Selected Water Sources in Ekiti State,
Nigeria. Adv J Toxicol Curr Res. 2019;3(1): 015-019.
Copyright: © 2019 Oguntuase MA, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative
Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Advanced Journal of Toxicology: Current Research
ABSTRACT
The physicochemical properties of some selected water sources within a quarry site at locations (L1, L2, L3, and L4) in Afao-Ekiti
were investigated using standard analytical methods. At the quarry site the following parameters were undertaking (pH, total dissolved
solids, the total hardness, phosphate, electrical conductivity, chloride, and fluoride and nitrate) and were all within the World Health
Organization (WHO) permissible limits for drinking water. However, the metal samples investigated also fell within WHO permissible
limits for drinking water except for iron (L3) and manganese (L4). These results showed that water sources in this environment were not
contaminated and fit for human consumption. This study also investigates the suitability of water for drinking purposes based on Water
Quality Index (WQI) estimated. The Communities within the studied area require alternative sources of potable water for drinking and
domestic purposes other than the previous model.
Keywords: Physicochemical; Heavy metals; Water; Quarry; Contamination
INTRODUCTION groundwater has been thought of as being a standard for any form of
water purity itself [12].
According to Efe et al. [1], it has been reported in most cities,
towns, and villages in Nigeria, that valuable man-hour was spent on According to Ukpong and Abaraogu [13], groundwater usage
seeking and fetching water, often of doubtful quality from distant is based on the hypothesis that it precludes from the atmosphere
sources. About 1.1 billion people lack access to drinking water supply and hence less susceptible to pollution. However, groundwater is
[2]. Water in its pure state is acclaimed key to health and one of the sometimes vulnerable to quality problems that may have serious
most abundant and generally essential to life. Water according to impacts on human health [4]. But water as reported by Umara et al.
Upong and Okon [3] covers about 97% volume on earth's surface, [14], is the most precious natural needs of life after oxygen, and "key"
0.8% underground, 0.009% in inland freshwaters such as lakes, while to health, it should be qualitative before being used. Any polluted
0.00009% is contained in rivers [4]. Consequently, water is one of the waters, irrespective of the pollutants, if consumed, may lead to a
keynotes that has contributed solely to live, without the presence of variety of diseases, such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, skin, and
water no reaction can take place in the body system, water constitutes mental disorders, etc.
the major functional mechanism that generalizes life availability.
According to Muyi [5], man requires a steady and accessible supply To safeguard the health of people to the barest minimum of
of water because man can go without food for twenty-eight days, but dreadful experiences of drinking, and/or use of low-quality waters,
only three days without water because water serves as an emulsifier, it is essential that the quality of water should be monitored with a
and dissolution in the body system. view to finding a lasting solution to health problems related to the
use and drinking of low-quality waters. Both solid and liquid wastes
Water pollution is a global problem that needs to be solved materials dumped either on the soil surface or buried, decompose
urgently and has a significant impact on the efficiency of sustainable to produce leachate that penetrates the aquifers and contaminate
cities [6]. Rudimentary household water rations have been suggested the groundwater thereby raising the potential toxicity of the water
at 50 liters per person per day apart from the water needed in the to consumers. Nowadays, surface dumping and burying of both
gardens [7]. The water we drink is needed for cell function and its
industrial and domestic waste are common practices among rural and
volume rations, any decrease in our daily water intake will affect the
urban dwellers to which most people or inhabitants do not pay much
efficiency of cells and other body activities [8]. In addition to water
attention. However, the quality of good water depends principally on
intake by humans and for health necessities, water is also needed
the element(s) present in it as it percolates the underground surface.
in agriculture, industrial, recreational and other purposes. In most
The world health organization WHO sets a quality guideline for
religions, water is considered a purifier and makes life unique [9].
drinking water and recommends that the properties of drinking water
Every usage of water is essential, however, water for human sanitation
should fall within the acceptable limit specified in this guideline. The
and consumption is considered to have the highest social and
research work is aimed at assessing the quality parameters of water
economic importance since the health of people has a direct influence
collected from the quarry site in Afao-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
on all other activities [10].
Groundwater is already used extensively in Nigeria through Water Quality Index (WQI) is a valuable and unique rating to
wells and boreholes [4]. Groundwater is the water underneath the depict the overall water quality status in a single term that is helpful
surface where all the hollowness in the rocks and soil are filled. Wells, for the selection of appropriate treatment techniques to meet the
boreholes, and springs originate from groundwater. A borehole is concerned issues. However, WQI depicts the composite influence of
generally hydraulic structured, properly designed and constructed to different water quality parameters and communicates water quality
permit the economic withdrawal of water from an aquifer. It is a narrow information to the public and legislative decision-makers. In spite of
well drilled with the machine. Borehole water, unlike well water, it the absence of a globally accepted composite index of water quality,
is obtained from a borehole drilled into the aquifer or underground some countries have used and are using aggregated water quality
water zone, which is usually a fully saturated subterranean zone, some data in the development of water quality indices. Attempts have been
distance below the water table purposely to suit the comfort of the made to review the WQI criteria for the appropriateness of drinking
people dwelling and their habitat [11]. Borehole water like water from water sources. Besides, the present article also highlights and draws
any other source is not ultimately pure. Its purity varies depending on attention towards the development of a new and globally accepted
the geological conditions of the soil through which the groundwater “Water Quality Index” in a simplified format, which may be used at
flows and some anthropogenic activities. Until this present age, the large and could represent the reliable picture of water quality [15].
MATERIALS AND METHODS a result of quarry activities around the vicinity was. The hardness
of the groundwater is influenced by the presence of carbonates
Sampling sites and bicarbonates of calcium and magnesium, sulphates, chlorides,
Afao-Ekiti is located in Irepodun Local Government Area of Ekiti nitrates. The hardness in the analyzed samples ranged from 100 to
State. The settlers are predominantly peasant farmers and the major 211.5 mg/L. The chloride concentration in all the samples analyzed
industrial activities sited in the area are quarry due to the availability was found to be within the permissible limits. A high chloride
of rocks. The rural folks in the area depend on hand-dug wells and content may harm the metallic pipes and structure. Excess of chloride
boreholes for the sources of water for drinking and domestic purposes. in groundwater imparts salinity in the water and affects human
consumption. The alkalinity of groundwater was due to the presence
For this study, three water samples were collected at the IBD of carbonates, bicarbonates, and hydroxides. The concentration of
IMPLEX LTD quarry site and control sample from Afao town. fluorides present was within the acceptable WHO limits. Fluoride
(Sample A, N 704114.329611, E 5015144.3711 at elevation 113.0m) were ions have dual importance in water supplies, a high concentration of
taken in blast site, (Sample B, N 7041149.329611, E 5015144.3711 at fluoride causes dental fluorosis, while a concentration lesser than 1.0
elevation 376.0m) from borehole in front of the quarry office which is mg/L results in dental caries. The water samples in the study area can
almost 500m away from blasting site and (Sample C, N 704114.873211, be considered as safe for drinking since the fluoride content in the
E 5018145.694811 at elevation 374.0m) were taken from milling site samples was lower than 1.5mg/L (Table 1). Sulphates ions originated
which was about 1 kilometers away from the quarry site. Sample D (N in natural water due to oxidation of sulphite ores or gypsum and other
7042123.648411, E 5019116.777211 at elevation 372.0m) were taken from sulphur bearing ores. However, ingestion of water containing a high
hand-dug manual drilled borehole encamped with a manual pump as concentration of sulphate can have laxative effects, which is enhanced
control sample which was about 2-kilometer to the quarry site located when sulphate is consumed in combination with magnesium.
at Afao township. Sulphate values in all the samples analyzed are well within the limits.
Sample collection and analysis Nitrates are believed to occur in groundwater mainly due to leaching
found to have lower total alkalinity value ranging between 1.0 and Sodium (mg/L) 3 2.8 2.2 2.5 200
1.3 mg/L and the pH range of 6.88 to 7.75 (slightly acidic to slightly Copper (mg/L) 0.04 0.02 0.04 0.04 2
alkaline). Phosphate, fluoride, sulphate, chloride, and nitrate were
Zinc (mg/L) 0.46 0.01 0.23 0.55 3
below the stipulated WHO range. This showed that the water samples
Lead (mg/L) 0.01 Nd 0.01 Nd 0.01
in this area are suitable for drinking and agricultural purposes. The
temperature of the water samples was between 26.3oC and 27.1oC. Nickel (mg/L) Nd Nd Nd Nd 1
Turbidity value between 3 and 7 NTU, respectively. The values of Cadmium (mg/L) Nd Nd Nd Nd 0.003
electrical conductivity ranged between 18.13 and 89.18μs/cm. All Iron (mg/L) 0.3 0.02 12.6 0.3 0.3
the colors were moderately clear except that of L3. Total dissolved
Chromium (mg/L) 0.05 Nd 0.02 Nd 0.05
solids ranged between 8.07 and 15.59 mg/L. In L1, L2, and L4, the
values of turbidity were in agreement with WHO except in L3 which Manganese (mg/L) 0.22 0.02 0.46 0.53 0.5
from soil organic matter, leaching of fertilizers applied to the soil, blue baby syndrome in which blood loses its ability to carry sufficient
while leachates from refuse dumps and industrial discharge also oxygen [25] while high fluoride level in drinking water may lead to
contribute to presence of nitrate. In excessive amounts, it contributes reduction in total erythrocyte, haemoglobin percentage, haematocrit
to the illness of infant methemoglobinemia or blue baby syndrome. value, protein content and then fluorosis [26] but from this study, it
The concentration of nitrates in the analyzed groundwater samples is was clearly shown that all the physicochemical parameters were in
well within the permissible WHO limits. line with international standards.
The results of heavy metals examined in this study showed a WATER QUALITY INDEX (WQI)
wide difference from the two sampling points (2km away from the
quarry site) which could be a result of specks of dust from the quarry The water quality index reveals some interesting and important
sites [18]. It may also be due to anthropogenic influence trending in information about the quality of groundwater in the study area. The
the society such as small-scale entrepreneur activities which include recommended limit of WQI for drinking water is 100. WQI of all sites
open-air solid waste combustion, farming, quarrying, and smoke has been found between 70 to 90%, therefore, it can be said that the
from automobiles [18,19]. A report of Ikem et al. [20], Vinodhini and quality of groundwater in the study area is satisfactory for drinking
Narayanan, [21], and Agbafor et al. [22] indicated that high level of purposes.
heavy metals could relatively leads to increase serum liver enzymes,
CONCLUSION
kidney function parameters and reduction in haemoglobin level
packed cell volume and Red Blood Cells. Therefore, from this study, This study has provided data on the level of physicochemical
it was evident that of all the metals investigated, samples from L1 and properties of water from the quarry site and Afao-Ekiti community.
L3 sites should be properly monitored because, in the future, there Considering the results obtained from the investigations, the
may be an increase in the level of lead which could later result in following conclusions were drawn: sulphate, nitrate, and phosphate
health-related hazards for the dwellers. The level of non-metallic ion concentrations met the WHO standards and all heavy metals
such as nitrate, chloride, phosphate, and fluoride of the potable waters analyzed fell within the WHO limits. The heavy metal concentrations
could be associated with dissociation of their metallic compounds, of samples of water from locations L1, L2, L3, and L4 were all within
oxidation of other forms of the compounds, high degree organic the set limit by WHO, except iron and manganese for L3 and L4
pollution, and type of minerals in the bedrock, eutrophication, respectively. Significant differences existed among the results of
agricultural activities and use of detergents [23,24]. High nitrate fluoride, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness
concentration above 10mg/l is dangerous to pregnant women and across all the samples at p > 0.05 confidential limit whereas the results
could as well poses a serious health threat to infants less than 3 to 6 of phosphate showed significant difference at p > 0.01 confidential
months of age because of its ability to cause methaemoglobinaemia or limit. This implies that the potable water in Afao-Ekiti is confirmed
unpolluted with organic and inorganic substances and therefore fit Journal of Research in Earth and Environmental Sciences. 2014; 2: 5-17.
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