THE HYDROCHEMISTRY OF PARTS OF BARKIN LADI, NORTH-CENTRAL NIGERIA
Abstract
This study was undertaken to identify contaminants and major sources of the contaminants of surface water in relation to past land -use (mining and agricultural activities). A pair of twelve (12) surface water samples were collected in sterilized containers and taken to the laboratories. These were examined for sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron ,lead, arsenic and cadmium . Also the microbial analysis of the water samples was carried out to determine the coliform present in the water. The pH and temperature were determined in situ. The results of the chemical analysis revealed all samples contain arsenic above the WHO standard, similarly a total of seven (7) samples collected at P3 ,P4, P6,P10, P11, and P12 were in excess of iron as against the WHO standard. In the same way, five (5) samples (P1, P7, P8, P9 and P10) contained lead beyond the required standard. The microbial analysis uncovered that all the samples amassed within the study area were contaminated with coliform as these were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) standard for drinking water. The chemical make-up of the water in these bodies is apparently related to the mineral deposits mined out in the ponds, the geology of the area and the anthropogenic activities within the area. This substantiated the existence of health hazards.