This research assessed the physico-chemical parameters (pH, EC, Cl?, NO3?, SO42-, TS, TDS,
TSS and TH) and levels of Fe, Ni, Cd, Hg, Mn, Pb, Cu, Zn and F in hand-dug wells in ten
localities in Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria. CI and human health riskwere assessed using
appropriate models.pH values were within a range of 4.50 - 7.67 with most of the water samples
were slightly acidic.EC, TS, TDS and TSS hadranges of 198µs/cm - 978µs/cm, 30mg/l - 50mg/l,
10mg/l - 50mg/l and 10mg/l to 40mg/l respectively.Samples from W2, W3, W4, W5, W6, W7,
W9 and W10 had high levels of one or more of Cl-
, NO3
-
and SO4
2-above the recommended
limits. Meanwhile, W5 and W10 had high TH of 133.00mg/l and 104.00mg/l respectively.
Analysis of Fe, Ni, Cd, Hg, Mn, Pb, Cu, Zn and F showed their ranges to be 0.09mg/l –
0.29mg/l, 0.11mg/l – 3.57mg/l, 0.02mg/l – 0.49mg/l, 0.42mg/l – 0.92mg/l, 0.01mg/l – 0.05mg/l,
0.04mg/l – 0.23mg/l, 0.10 – 1.49mg/l, 0.01 – 0.15mg/l and 0.44mg/l – 0.57mg/l respectively. Ni
had the highest concentration in all samples analysed with the highest value (3.57mg/l) in sample
from W10. Correlation analysis showed that positive, negative and no correlations accounted for
52.78%, 8.33% and 38.89%.of elemental association respectively.No well had contamination due
to Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and F but, all of them had between 80% and 100% contamination by Cd, Hg, Ni and Pb. HQ values was ? 1 for all analysed trace elements except for Ni in W6, Cd in W9, Pb
in W7. The range of HI in children was 120.78 – 391.30 and 61.57 – 121.26 in adults. CRI for Pb
was not within the acceptable range in all the wells. Children were at higher non-carcinogenic
and carcinogenic health risks than adults. This research concluded that none of the hand-dug well
is fit as source of drinking water.
Keywords: Health risk, trace elements, drinking water, hand-dug well, Abakaliki
Publication date: 01/07/2022
https://ijbpas.com/pdf/2022/July/MS_IJBPAS_2022_6191.pdf
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https://doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2022/11.7.6191
