ABSTRACT
Physicochemical
and bacteriological analyses of underground water resources in Nkanu East and
Nkanu West Local Government Areas of Enugu state, Nigeria were carried out to
evaluate the potability and quality of the rural water supplies and to provide
baseline data for future quality assessment. Underground water samples were
collected from ten different boreholes in Nkanu East and Nkanu West LGAs. The
parameters measured include temperature, colour, pH, electrical conductivity,
turbidity, total dissolved solids, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium
hardness, total alkalinity, chloride, sulphate, phosphate, nitrate, sodium,
potassium, lead, chromium, copper, cadmium, nickel, iron, zinc and total
coliform. The water showed near neutral pH (6.4- 8.2) favourably comparable to
the WHO recommended range of 6.5-8.5, with moderate permanent hardness of
2.5-289 mg/L. Conductivity and total dissolved solids values for Amechi Idodo
(4360 μs/cm, 2650 mg/L) and Mbulu Owo (4880 μs/cm, 2930 mg/L) were higher than the WHO guideline
values of 1660 μs/cm and 1000 mg/L, respectively. Concentrations of
most trace metals and all anions were below the WHO guideline values. However,
iron,cadmium and chromium occurred at levels slightly above the WHO permissible
limit. Total coliform count in Amechi Idodo and Mbulu Owo exceeded the WHO guideline
value of zero. The underground waters studied are good for drinking provided
they are boiled to remove microbial contamination.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pages
Title Page--------------------------------------------------------------------------- i
Approval Page--------------------------------------------------------------------- ii
Certification------------------------------------------------------------------------ iii
Dedication-------------------------------------------------------------------------- iv
Acknowledgement---------------------------------------------------------------- v
Abstract----------------------------------------------------------------------------- vi
Table of Contents---------------------------------------------------------- ---- vii
List of Tables---------------------------------------------------------------------- xi
List of Figures--------------------------------------------------------------------- xii
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------- 1
1.1 Underground water quality------------------------------------------------- 1
1.2 Background of Study-------------------------------------------------------- 2
1.3 Scope of Study---------------------------------------------------------------- 3
1.4 Objective of Study----------------------------------------------------------- 4
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature Review------------------------------------------------------------- 5
2.1 Water--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5
2.1.1 Properties of water--------------------------------------------------------- 5
2.1.2 Uses of Water -------------------------------------------------------------- 6
2.2 Types of water resources---------------------------------------------------- 7
2.2.1 Underground water-------------------------------------------------------- 7
2.2.2 Surface water--------------------------------------------------------------- 8
2.2.3 Water in the atmosphere------------------------------------------------- 12
2.3 Pollution ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 12
2.3.1 Water pollution------------------------------------------------------------- 13
2.3.1.1 Organic pollutants------------------------------------------------------- 13
2.3.1.2 Inorganic pollutants----------------------------------------------------- 15
2.3.1.3 Sediments pollutants --------------------------------------------------- 16
2.3.1.4 Radioactive materials -------------------------------------------------- 16
2.3.1.5 Thermal pollutants ----------------------------------------------------- 17
2.3.2 Underground water
pollution/pollutant ------------------------------- 17
2.3.2.1 Point-source pollution ------------------------------------------------- 19
2.3.2.2 Non-point source pollution-------------------------------------------- 19
2.3.2.3 Chemical pollution------------------------------------------------------ 21
2.3.2.4 Biological pollution----------------------------------------------------- 22
2.3.2.5 Physical/Natural pollution -------------------------------------------- 24
2.4 Water Analysis --------------------------------------------------------------- 25
2.4.1 Physical examination------------------------------------------------------ 25
2.4.1.1 Temperature ------------------------------------------------------------- 25
2.4.1.2 Turbidity ----------------------------------------------------------------- 25
2.4.1.3 pH-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27
2.4.1.4 Total dissolved solids --------------------------------------------------- 27
2.4.1.5 Conductivity-------------------------------------------------------------- 28
2.4.1.6 Colour--------------------------------------------------------------------- 28
2.4.2 Chemical examination --------------------------------------------------- 28
2.4.2.1 Hardness ------------------------------------------------------------------ 28
2.4.2.2 Alkalinity----------------------------------------------------------------- 30
2.4.2.3 Calcium------------------------------------------------------------------- 30
2.4.2.4 Magnesium--------------------------------------------------------------- 31
2.4.2.5 Chloride------------------------------------------------------------------- 31
2.4.2.6 Nitrate--------------------------------------------------------------------- 31
2.4.2.7 Phosphate----------------------------------------------------------------- 32
2.4.2.8 Potassium----------------------------------------------------------------- 32
2.4.2.9 Sulphate------------------------------------------------------------------- 33
2.4.2.10 Sodium------------------------------------------------------------------- 33
2.4.2.11 Cadmium---------------------------------------------------------------- 34
2.4.2.12 Chromium--------------------------------------------------------------- 35
2.4.2.13 Copper-------------------------------------------------------------------- 36
2.4.2.14 Iron----------------------------------------------------------------------- 37
2.4.2.15 Lead---------------------------------------------------------------------- 38
2.4.2.16 Nickel-------------------------------------------------------------------- 38
2.4.2.17 Zinc----------------------------------------------------------------------- 39
2.4.3 Microbiological examination -------------------------------------- `---- 39
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Materials and Methods ------------------------------------------------------ 41
3.1 Sample collection------------------------------------------------------------ 41
3.2 Method of analysis ---------------------------------------------------------- 43
3.2.1 Turbidity -------------------------------------------------------------------- 43
3.2.2 Temperature ---------------------------------------------------------------- 43
3.2.3 Colour------------------------------------------------------------------------ 43
3.2.4 Total dissolved solid ------------------------------------------------------ 43
3.2.5 pH----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 44
3.2.6 Conductivity---------------------------------------------------------------- 44
3.2.7 Total alkalinity------------------------------------------------------------- 44
3.2.8 Total hardness-------------------------------------------------------------- 45
3.2.9 Calcium---------------------------------------------------------------------- 46
3.2.10 Magnesium---------------------------------------------------------------- 47
3.2.11 Chloride-------------------------------------------------------------------- 47
3.2.12 Nitrate---------------------------------------------------------------------- 48
3.2.13 Sulphate-------------------------------------------------------------------- 49
3.2.14 Phosphate------------------------------------------------------------------ 49
3.2.15 Sodium--------------------------------------------------------------------- 50
3.2.16 Potassium------------------------------------------------------------------ 50
3.2.17 Heavy metals determination ------------------------------------------- 51
3.2.18 Bacteriological examination-------------------------------------------- 52
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Results and Discussions----------------------------------------------------- 53
4.1 Turbidity----------------------------------------------------------------------- 55
4.2 Colour-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 55
4.3 Conductivity------------------------------------------------------------------ 57
4.4 Total dissolved solid--------------------------------------------------------- 57
4.5 pH------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 58
4.6 Total hardness, calcium hardness
and magnesium hardness--------- 59
4.7 Total alkalinity---------------------------------------------------------------- 61
4.8 Nitrate-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 62
4.9 Phosphate---------------------------------------------------------------------- 62
4.10 Sulphate---------------------------------------------------------------------- 63
4.11 Chloride---------------------------------------------------------------------- 63
4.12 Sodium and potassium----------------------------------------------------- 64
4.13 Heavy metals---------------------------------------------------------------- 67
4.14 Total coliform--------------------------------------------------------------- 69
Conclusion and Recommendation -------------------------------------------- 69
References ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 71
LIST OF TABLES
3.1:
Sample code and sample location---------------------------------------- 41
4.1: WHO
standard values for drinking water------------------------------- 53
4.2:
Physicochemical quality of underground water in Nkanu
East and Nkanu West Local
Government Areas, Enugu
State, Nigeria-------------------------------------------------------- 54
4.3: Colour and turbidity of water
sample--------------------------56
4.4:
Conductivity and total dissolved solid of water sample-------------- 58
4.5:
Total hardness, magnesium hardness and calcium hardness of water sample-------------------------------------------------------- 60
4.6:
Metal concentrations (mg/L) of water sample ------------------------ 66
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LIST OF FIGURES
3.1: Map of Nkanu East and Nkanu West
LGAs --------------------------- 42
4.1 Bar-chart showing correlation
between colour and turbidity- 56
4.2 Bar-chart showing correlation
between conductivity and total dissolved solids----------------------------------------------------- 58
4.3: Bar-chart showing correlation
between total hardness,
magnesium hardness and calcium
hardness--------------------- 61
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