ASSESSMENT OF SELECTED HEAVY METALS IN DRINKING WATER CONSUMED WITHIN KATSINA METROPOLIS

ABDULRASHID YUSUF,Abdurrahman Nuraddeen

doi:10.33003/fjs-2020-0403-303

Abstract

The study involved the analysis of some selected heavy metals in drinking water consumed within Katsina Metropolis. The water samples were collected from Ajiwa dam raw water, taps, wells, boreholes, and sachet waters and the concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cr, Co, and Ni), was determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The results obtained from the water analysis indicate that cadmium was not found in all the water samples. The concentrations range for lead were (6.222-109.63)µg/L with maximum concentration value of 109.63 µg/L in Ajiwa dam raw water, above the World Health Organization (WHO) limit, nickel (0.72-6.99)µg/L with maximum concentration value of 6.99 µg/L in borehole water, within WHO limit, chromium (36-72)µg/L with maximum concentration value of 72 µg/L in well water, above WHO limit, cobalt (4.758-9.516) µg/L with maximum concentration value of 9.516 µg/L in well water, within WHO limit. The results indicate that most of the concentrations of the heavy metals determined were within the WHO limit, except for chromium in well water which may arises from the Government activities of money recycling and incineration of old bank notes which does not affect other water sources in the area and lead in Ajiwa dam raw water which was further removed through water treatment processes. Moreover, the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) indicate no significant difference in the means of the heavy metals concentrations in all the water samples analyzed, and this may be due to the same physicochemical factors and limited industrial activities in the study area

Highlights

Water is one of the essential components of the physical environment, it is estimated that water covers almost 70 % of the earth’s surface .Water compose of oxygen and hydrogen in a ratio of 1:2 which can be photo-dissociated by ultraviolet radiation to yield hydrogen ion (H+) and hydroxide ion (OH-) in the stratosphere (Ademoroti, 1996)
Cadmium is among the poisonous heavy metals that are not needed by the living organisms, when accumulated into plants or human beings may leads to growth disorder, serious health challenges and possible death
The highest concentration of chromium was observed in Dutsen Safe well water sample was above the standard limit set by World Health Organization (WHO), this may be as a result of Government activities of incineration of old bank notes in the area

Summary

Introduction

Water is one of the essential components of the physical environment, it is estimated that water covers almost 70 % of the earth’s surface .Water compose of oxygen and hydrogen in a ratio of 1:2 which can be photo-dissociated by ultraviolet radiation to yield hydrogen ion (H+) and hydroxide ion (OH-) in the stratosphere (Ademoroti, 1996). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Results The concentrations of 5 heavy metals were analyzed in their samples’ solution by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) and the results obtained were compared with the (WHO 2011) standard limit for drinking water as shown below; FJS The zero concentration of the metal shows that water samples were within the limit set by WHO.

Results

Conclusion