The Impact of Typical Cemetery on Groundwater Using both Geophysical Techniques and Physicochemical Analyses of Water in South-South, Nigeria

Abstract

This research work focuses on the impact of cemetery on the groundwater with respect to time. It was carried out using Joint Geophysical Methods and Hydro physicochemical analysis.  In addition to these methods this study went further to apply Multivariate Statistical Analyses (Water Quality Index, Principle Component Analysis, Cluster Analysis) in the investigation. This research work was done in Third Cemetery, New Benin, Benin City. Though there are three major cemeteries in Benin Metropolis Third Cemetery was selected for this purpose. In Benin City and Nigeria in general, the major cemeteries 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. The spread of electrodes reaches a maximum of 230m which covers the entire length of the cemetery. Electrodes (41) were needed in this research to generate data and the result compared with the physico-chemical analysis of groundwater. The field work covered a time lapse of six months (June, 2017 to December, 2017). Toxic chemicals that may be released into groundwater include substances that were used in embalming and burial practices as well as varnishes, sealers and preservatives and metal component of ornaments used on wooden coffins (Jonker and Olivier, 2012).Wood preservatives and paints used in coffin construction contain compounds such as copper, naphthalene and ammoniac or chromated copper arsenate (Spongberg and Becks, 2000). Paints contain lead, mercury, cadmium, and chromium; arsenic is used as a pigment, wood preservative and anti-fouling ingredient while barium is used as a pigment and a corrosion inhibitor (Katz and Salem, 2005; Huang et al., 2010; Jonker and Olivier, 2012).