Groundwater contamination and its potential health risk in Oba community, Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria: an index analysis approach

Abstract

The health risk associated with groundwater contamination of Oba community were studied. Water samples were collected from twelve boreholes, consumed by the inhabitants of the study area. Each sample was analyzed for 15 water quality parameters and the results indicated that all the groundwater samples were polluted with heavy metals (Pb, Co, As, Cr, and Cd). However, other physicochemical parameters of the samples (Cu, Cl⁻, NO₃⁻, PO₄³⁻, SO₄²⁻, TSS, TDS, EC, TH, and Salinity) were within the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) and WHO. All locations' weight arithmetic water quality index, heavy metal pollution index, heavy metal evaluation index, and degree of contamination exceeded their critical pollution index values of 100, 100, 6, and 3 respectively. Cobalt in Ama-Enumah, Okpuno-Etiti, and Rando sample locations had ${\mathrm{HQ}}_{\mathrm{der}}$ > 1 in both adults and children. Also, the study revealed that children had ${\mathrm{HI}}_{\mathrm{ing}}$ > 1 in all sample locations when compared to their adult counterparts, suggesting non-carcinogenic health risks for children through oral intake. Hence, water from these boreholes should be treated before use for drinking and other domestic and irrigation purposes.