Health Risk Assessment from Exposure to Heavy Metals in Surface and Groundwater Resources within Barkin Ladi, North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Concentration of heavy metals from surface and groundwater within the communities were determined in order to assess the health risks linked to the use/consumption of same. Furthermore, the cancer risk for adults in surface water revealed medium to high cancer risk for arsenic (As); low to medium cancer risk for cadmium (Cd) and very high cancer risk for chromium (Cr). In addition, the cancer risk for adults in groundwater is as follows: high cancer risk for As; low cancer risk for Cd and very high cancer risk for Cr while that for children is very high cancer risk for As and Cr and then low cancer risk for Cd. The findings from this research confirm that the inhabitants within the study area are at direct health risk (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic) due to the alternate use of surface and groundwater without any form of treatment.