GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF GROUNDWATER IN ALKALERI AND ENVIRONS, GOMBE STATE, NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIA
The study area witnessed expansion, growth and developmental activities which results in poor water quality supply, which necessitated this research work that is aimed at characterizing the groundwater on the basis of chemistry in Alkaleri and environs. A total of 40 water samples were taken from hand dug wells and boreholes. The physical and chemical parameters were determined using standard methods. The results of the 40 water samples analyzed revealed that only iron and Manganese exceeded the World Health Organization permissible limit for water consumption. Iron ranges from 0.21 to 1.02mg/l with the mean of 0.51mg/l and standard deviation of 0.1,7 the high concentration of iron in the samples is due to ferromagnesium minerals which are the major mineral in Basaltic and Kerri-Kerri Sandstone. Manganese ranges from 0 to 0.06mg/l with the mean value of 0.003mg/l and standard deviation of 0.009, this showed that the water has been in contact with rock for a longer time. Piper trilinear diagram was plotted and results indicated that most samples fall in the region of Ca-Mg-HCO3 facies which is the dominant water type. The second water type is Ca-Mg-SO4-Cl. This water type is regarded as water of intermediate composition that evolved through simple hydrochemical mixing influenced by reversed cation exchange. Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis revealed natural mineralization, salinity of the water, weathering and rock-water interaction, temporary hardness of groundwater, caused by leaching of bed rock materials and anthropogenic contamination. The result of the Water Quality Index showed that 2.5% of the water samples revealed poor water quality of grade C, good quality water of grade B constitute. 67.5%, and Excellent Water quality of grade A constitutes 30%.
Authors : Gidado, A., Ankidawa, B.A., Obiefuna, G.I., Kwami, I.A. and Vanke, I.
Category : Open Access Volume (Issue) : 10(1) Date Uploaded : 21st March 2024