Assessment of water and sediment around a lead-acid battery plant dumpsites in South-Western Nigeria

Abstract

In a quick assessment carried out around dumpsites of a battery manufacturing plant, heavy metals content of sediment, surface water and ground water samples from seven ponds, three streams and a well were assessed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Some physicochemical parameters of the samples were also investigated. Metal concentration in pond and stream sediment samples ranged from 25.71-75,843 μg/gPb, 0.74-4.13 μg/gCd, 32.35-385.31 μg/gCu, 3.17-28.5 μg/gNi, 558.25-908.42 μg/gFe and 10.01-53.59 μg/gZn and these metal concentrations exceeded allowable guidelines for sediment by USEPA. For water samples in general, concentration of metals ranged as Pb(0.001-5.69 mg/L), Cd(0.0006-0.0699 mg/L), Cu(0.001-0.09 mg/L), Ni(0.001-0.38 mg/L), Fe(0.0399-17.099 mg/L) and Zn(0.001-0.14891 mg/L). Physicochemical parameters in water were pH (4.54-7.59), Temperature (25-28 OC), DO (2.49-6.45 mg/L), TS (296-35,100 mg/L), TSS (2.0-281 mg/L), TDS (290-34,800 mg/L), Cl- (12.2-52.5 mg/L), NO3- (3.2-800 mg/L), PO43- (0.14-1.58 mg/L) and SO42- (76.0-5,300 mg/L). Results obtained for TSS, TDS, NO3-, SO42-, Pb, Cd and Fe in water, especially in ponds at Ile-Igbon and Ni in Aweere Stream, exceeded limits set by standard organisations as well as results from similar work.