Analysis of Spring Water Quality in Ebonyi South Zone and Its Health Impact 1J.N

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH © 2013, Science Huβ, http://www.scihub.org/AJSIR ISSN: 2153-649X, doi:10.5251/ajsir.2013.4.2.231.237 Analysis of spring water quality in Ebonyi South Zone and its health impact 1J.N. Afiukwa and 2A.N. Eboatu 1Department of Industrial Chemistry, Ebonyi State University Private Mail Bag 053, Abakaliki, Nigeria 2Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. ABSTRACT Studies were carried out between June through December, 2007 to evaluate the quality of rural water supply for drinking in Ebonyi South Zone of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The rural communities of Ekoli Edda and Ozizza in Afikpo South L.G.A and parts of Okposi in Ohaozara L.G.A depend solely on spring water for their domestic needs. Samples from seven spring water sources in these areas were analyzed for some physico-chemical and microbial parameters by standard methods. Concentrations of some heavy metals; Cr, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ni and Zn were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results of the chemical analysis compared favourably with the WHO standard for drinking water, except for the relatively high concentration of iron in samples SE 5 (0.79 mg/L) and SE 6 (0.58 mg/L), and the exceedingly high phosphate concentrations, ranging from 0.25 - 1.6mg/L in all the samples as against the WHO permissible limit of 0.1mg/L. The bacteriological analyses however revealed about 40% total coliform bacteria contamination, varying between 0 - 4 MPN/100 ml of water in five out of the seven samples tested. The mean total hardness ranged from 8 - 26 mgCaCO3 /L indicating that the water is soft. The pH ranged from 4.2 - 5.6 and 4.5 - 6.0 at the rainy and dry seasons respectively, with an average pH of 5.1 + 0.48 during the rainy seasons and 5.6 + 0.58 at the dry seasons. This study provides baseline information on the spring water situation in Ebonyi South and suggested an alternative method of harnessing the natural water. Keywords: Spring Water, Rural Community, Pollution and Public Health. INTRODUCTION taste (WHO, 1973). It is also important that water for domestic, agricultural or industrial uses should not be The Ekoli Edda, Ozizza and Ohaozara areas of acidic or alkaline than is required by standards for the Ebonyi South Zone are rural Communities in Ebonyi purpose. Therefore the focus of this study is to State, dependent on groundwater as the main determine the potability of the spring water by alternative water supply for domestic uses. The land assessing the levels of some limiting physico- summit of Ekoli Edda are underlain by chemical and microbial parameters, which justifies shale/sandstone and hard bedrock and only spring the quality of a drinking water. sources supply their water needs. Natural weathering of these rocks and run-off from the mountains are Physical features of the springs: The study area is common phenomenon. Sinking of boreholes in Ekoli drained by the Cross River system, which is the main was aborted by the hard sedimentary rocks but the inland water source that recharges the aquifer. The existence of several springs suggests a shallow ecosystem of the study areas is complex with varying water table in the bedrock. Irrespective of the fair species of plants, wildlife, undulating Rocky distribution of the springs, provision of potable water Mountains and thick forest reserves especially in to meet the need remains an unsolved problem Ekoli Edda. The spring water is accessed at the especially in Ekoli Edda. In order to ensure a safe valley of the hills from man-made or natural cavity. public health, water supply for human consumption Some are tapped directly from the exuding sources must be free from pathogens, free from chemical with zinc-shaped cone such as the Iyi Anyaoji, Fig. 1. toxins and must be physically clear and appealing to Am. J. Sci. Ind. Res., 2013, 4(2): 231-237 Tintometer, England make. The metals were analysed using Perkin Elmer A Analyst 400 Model MATERIALS AND METHODS Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, while anions The methods adopted for this study were field were analyzed using a UV-Visible investigation/sampling and laboratory analyses. Spectrophotometer, (ASTM EZ 201, Perkin Elmer, Sampling was carried out in the Months of June Landa Model). The TDS was measured using the through December, 2007 and analyzed for metals at HANNA HI 98301 instruments, while HANNA HI the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) 98303 and HI 9142 ATC dissolved oxygen meter Warri, Delta State. were used to measure conductivity and DO respectively. Total alkalinity and hardness were measured by titrimetric methods. The Multiple Fermentation Tube technique was applied for total coliform determination. The test samples were coded as Iyi Anyaoji Ekoli (SE 1), Iyi Nneoji Ekoli (SE 2), Iyi Imminika Ekoli (SE 3), Ogwu Nwankpuma Ohaozara (SE 4), Ogwu Nwokereke Ohaozara (SE 5), Ekeje Spring Ozizza (SE 6) and Whyworry Spring Ozizza (SE 7). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The levels of some trace metals, non-metals, physico-chemical and biological parameters in the spring water supply were compared with the WHO, 1997 guideline limits for drinking water to establish if the spring water is safe for human consumption. Results showed that the average concentrations of Ca (3.60+ 2.9 - 4.17+2.97mg/L) and Mg (1.04 + 0.86 Fig.1: Typical sample site at Ekoli Edda, Iyi Anyaoji, pH – 3.35 + 3.7mg/L) were low at the two seasons 4.3 – 5.5 compared with the WHO standards (Table 1). The concentrations of the heavy metals studied fall within Some of the parameters such as temperature, pH, the WHO minimum standards except for exceedingly Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Electrical Conductivity high levels of iron (Fe) in samples SE 5 and SE 6 (EC), Total Solids (TS), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), with values 0.79 and 0.58 mg/LFe respectively. Colour and Turbidity were determined on site using These values were approximately equal to the portable HANNA Test Kits (Miroslav and Vladimir, maximum permissible limit for iron (1.0 mg/L). Cobalt (1999). The samples were collected in sterilized white also exceeded the WHO limit for daily intake polyethylene bottles previously rinsed with deionised allowance (0.0l mg/d) with a mean range of 0.01- water and preserved with a 0.2M HNO3 to immobilize 0.10 mg/L. The lead (Pb) level was below detection the metals against surface adsorption. Treated glass limit. Cadmium, iron and Manganese whose mean bottles were used to collect samples required for the concentrations approximated to their guideline limits determination of dissolved oxygen (DO), odour, constitute potential threats to health. There were no biochemical oxygen demand, BOD and salinity. The significant seasonal variations across the heavy pH and temperature were analysed using a dual metal ions studied. probe pH-Meter (pHep HI 98127ATC), while colour was assessed using a BDH Lovinbond Colour 232 Am. J. Sci. Ind. Res., 2013, 4(2): 231-237 Table 1: Hydro-chemical data on the Mean Concentration of Trace and Heavy Metals (mg/L) in the Spring Water samples at the rainy and dry Seasons. Metals SE1 SE2 SE3 SE4 SE5 SE6 SE7 WHO Mean±Sd Range VC Ca RS 4.0 3.6 2.4 7.2 7.4 0.4 0.3 200 3.60±2.90 0.3-7.4 0.81 DS 5.6 5.6 2.8 7.2 7.2 0.4 0.4 4.17±2.97 0.4-7.2 0.71 Mg RS 1.8 1.5 0.6 2.4 0.6 0.21 0.18 150 1.04±0.86 0.21-1.8 0.83 DS 6.68 10.0 3.4 2.4 0.6 0.21 0.18 3.35±3.70 0.18-10.0 1.11 Cd RS 0.003 0.005 0.003 0.004 0.001 0.001 0.002 0.002 0.003±0.0 0.001- 0.0 0.005 DS 0.002 0.004 0.003 0.004 0.001 0.001 0.002 0.002±0.001 0.001- 0.5 0.004 Co RS 0.031 0.022 0.01 0.09 0.085 0.007 0.02 0.01 0.038±0.03 0.01-0.09 0.8 DS 0.03 0.021 0.01 0.10 0.090 0.006 0.02 0.04±0.04 0.01-0.10 1.0 Cr RS 0.01 <0.01 0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.01 0.01 0.05 0.01±0.0 Nil - DS 0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01±0.0 Nil Cu RS 0.01 0.02 0.04 0.02 0.025 0.01 0.03 1.0 0.22±0.01 0.01-0.03 0.49 DS 0.01 0.02 0.04 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.03 0.020±0.32 0.01-0.04 0.5 Fe RS 0.01 0.20 0.0 0.01 0.79 0.58 0.14 0.3 0.288±0.32 0.01-0.79 1.11 DS 0.01 0.25 0.0 0.01 0.80 0.50 0.20 0.30±0.31 0.01-0.80 1.0 Pb RS <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 <0.01±0.0 - 0.0 DS <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 <0.01±0.0 - 0.0 Mn RS 0.16 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.10 0.02 0.01 0.05 0.046±0.06 0.01-0.16 1.3 DS 0.15 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.10 0.02 0.01 0.04±0.06 0.01-0.15 1.4 Zn RS <0.001 0.003 <0.001 0.003 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.01±0.01 0.01-0.02 1.0 3.0 DS 0.006 0.003 <0.002 0.003 0.01 0.02 0.015 0.01±0.07 0.02-0.15 0.7 RS -0.01 -0.02 -0.031 0.011 -0.032 -0.018 -0.02 -0.02 -0.02±0.01 -0.01-0.32 -0.5 Ni DS -0.01 -0.02 -0.031 0.011 -0.032 -0.018 -0.02 -0.02±0.01 -0.01-0.32 -0.5 n = 3,DS=dry Season, RS=rainy Season, sd=Standard Deviation,Variation Coefficient (VC) = (sd/x) 233 Am.

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