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Groundwater characterization in major industrial and residential locations of Lagos metropolis
Author(s) -
Popoola Lekan Taofeek
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
environmental quality management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.249
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 1520-6483
pISSN - 1088-1913
DOI - 10.1002/tqem.21650
Subject(s) - groundwater , nitrate , biochemical oxygen demand , environmental chemistry , chemical oxygen demand , cadmium , total dissolved solids , environmental science , effluent , water quality , sulfate , chloride , environmental engineering , chemistry , wastewater , geology , geotechnical engineering , ecology , organic chemistry , biology
This study investigated the quality of groundwater collected from two industrial and residential locations, each within the Lagos metropolis. Prescribed standard procedures of the American Public Health Association (APHA) were used to measure the physicochemical parameters of each of the groundwater samples, which include pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids (TDS), biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand; the anions chloride (Cl − ), nitrate (NO 3 − ), sulfate (SO 4 − ), and phosphate (PO 4 − ); and heavy metals copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr). Based on the laboratory analysis, the physicochemical parameters that were measured were within the permissible ranges specified by the World Health Organization and the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), except for pH, TDS, EC, Pb, Mn, and Fe for groundwater samples from the industrial locations and for pH, Pb, Mn, and Fe for residential locations. The elevated concentrations of TDS and EC reported for groundwater samples from industrial locations were attributed to the heavy discharge of effluents from nearby industrial treatment plants as well as the dissolution of ionic heavy metals from industrial activities involving the use of heavy machines. Statistical analysis using Pearson's correlation revealed the physicochemical parameters to be moderately and strongly correlated with one another at either p < .05 or < .01. In conclusion, groundwater samples from residential locations are more suitable for drinking than those from industrial locations.