Assessment of Groundwater Contamination by Textile Effluent Discharges in Ikorodu, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper assessed physicochemical properties (temperature, pH, acidity, alkalinity, colour,odour, taste, EC, TDS, TH, turbidity, bicarbonate, phosphate, nitrate, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Cl-& SO42-as well as heavy metal concentrations heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn) of selected wells and borehole near textile industries in Ikorodu, Nigeria. The physicochemical parameters were analysed using standard methods by APHA, while heavy metals were analysedusing atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). The pH of water from the boreholes and hand-dugwells ranged from 5.90 to 6.70. The well water had higher total hardness, calcium, magnesium, sulphate and chloride compared to the boreholes. Alkalinity in the boreholes ranged from 740.2to 820.4 mgL-1compared to wells that ranged from 144.4 to 670.2 mg L-1. EC for the boreholes rangedfrom 124.5-182.3 μScm-1compared to EC of wells that ranged from 216.2-385.6 μScm-1. TDS rangedfrom 48.6-60.3 mg L-1in the borehole compared to 62.5-120 mgL-1in the wells. Concentration of Feranged from 0.12 to 1.2 mgL-1in the boreholes compared to 1.2 to 1.60 mgL-1found in the wellwater. Zn, Pb, and Cu ranged from 0.60 to 1.20 mgL-1, 0.02 to 0.03 mgL-1and 0.04 to 0.06 mgL-1respectively. Concentrations of Fe and Pb were above the permissible limits of WHO and NIS.A possible source of pollution is seepage of effluent discharge through the porous soil into thegroundwater and this poses great danger to the health of the people who consume the water.