A Preliminary Assessment of Hydrogeochemical Quality of Groundwater around Rural Communities of Abandon Nkalagu Limestone Quarry. SE Nigeria

Abstract

The study was conducted with the aim of assessing factors that influence groundwater geochemistry within the study area. Twenty-seven (27) groundwater samples were collected for major cations and anions were analysis. From the results obtained, it was observed that pH value fell within the slightly acidic to basic, values obtained from total dissolved solid showed that twenty six (26) groundwater samples fell within fresh water category, while one (1) groundwater sample fell within brackish water category, electrical conductivity ranges from 16.21 to 1136 µ S/cm. The study revealed that ion exchange and rock weathering are the major geochemical processes that influence groundwater chemistry within the study area. Parson plot revealed that groundwater samples are of different water type; Na-SO 4 , Na-Cl, Ca-Mg-SO 4 and Ca-Mg-Cl water type. Relationship between Na + /Cl¯ versus Ca 2+ / (HCO 3 ¯ + SO 42 ¯ ) showed that groundwater was classified under natural state. TDS versus TH plots revealed that groundwater within study area falls within soft-fresh water category, except sample NA-18. Finally, deduction from Soltan classification revealed that sample locations; NA-01, 02, 03, 04, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 27 were classified under deep meteoric water type, while NA-05, 09, 14, 18, 20, 25 and 26 were classified shallow meteoric water type.