Hydrochemical analysis and evaluation of water quality in Angwan Jeba and its environs, Nasarawa State, northcentral Nigeria

Abstract

Angwan Jeba and its environs lies within the Basement Complex of northcentral Nigeria and is underlain by migmatitic gneiss, biotite gneiss, biotite schist, muscovite schist and older granites with minor intrusions of pegmatite and quartz veins. The study involved the hydrochemical characterisation of waters of the area to ascertain their chemistry, quality and suitability for domestic, livestock and irrigation purposes. A total of eight hand-dug wells, four hand-pump boreholes, one stream and two rivers water samples were analysed for their cations and anions. Physical parameters such as temperature, pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) were measured in the field. Results of the analysed chemical (cations and anions) parameters ranged as follows: Ca 2+ (9.4-36.1 mg L -1), Mg 2+ (3.8-11.7 mg L -1), Na + (17.64-41.5 mg L -1), K + (4.36-18.14mg L -1), Fe (0.08-3.0 mg L -1), Cu (<0.01 -0.99 mg L -1), HCO 3- (84.08-134 mg L -1), Cl (37.3-49.79 mg L -1), SO 42- (13.2-23.4 mg L -1) and NO 3- (ND-0.96 mg L -1). The Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Exchangeable Sodium Ratio (ESR) values varied between 0.73-l.59, -1.015-0.633 meq L -1, 159-450 μS cm -1 and O.333-1.187, respectively. Evaluation of the results revealed that the waters are fresh (130