A Comparative Investigation of Groundwater Contamination in Typical Dumpsites and Cemetery Using Ert and Physicochemical Analysis of Water in Benin Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper investigated the comparative analysis of groundwater contamination in Third Cemetery and Costain Dumpsite in Benin Metropolis, South South of Nigeria, using Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Physicochemical analysis of water. The implications of land utilization for burial of dead human bodies in the form of cemeteries, many cases associated with coffin and caskets used for interment of remains and the location of refuse dump have received no consideration in Nigeria. Interment of bodies in cemeteries and dumping of refuse in dumpsites remain widespread practice and the only alternative endpoint to dead bodies and disposal of wastes in Nigeria. In Nigeria, this practice had not been perceived as having a significant potential contaminant effect in the environment and especially the groundwater component as search of literature attracted no such study to the country. In Benin City and Nigeria in general, the major cemeteries and dumpsites are located close to human residential areas and virtually all the populace within this locality depends on groundwater as the primary water source for various domestic purposes. Res2Dinv was employed in both sites as the geophysical method. The investigation of cemeteries is always difficult and challenging task in geoforensic prospective. Most researchers assess the impact of interment on the environment by comparing study results from cemeteries with data from reference sites. This study is based on this premise. The 2-D Geological Models showed that both Third Cemetery and Costain Dumpsite contained leachate plumes of various degrees as indicated by the low resistivity values, which infiltrated into the groundwater. The values of Water Quality Index (WQI) of groundwater samples in Third Cemetery and Costain Dumpsite were found to be 13.40 and 21.58 respectively which indicated that the quality of water at both Third Cemetery and Costain Dumpsite were good for drinking and other ...