Assessment of Physical Properties and Heavy Metals in Borehole Water from Ogale, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State

Abstract

all the study while and laboratory while managed the literature. performed the statistical ABSTRACT Aim: To assess the physical properties and some heavy metal levels of borehole water in Ogale, Eleme local government the maximum permitted level. The concentration of Pb in all samples was above the maximum permitted limit of 0.01 mg/L. The concentration of Ni was above the permitted limit (0.02 mg/L) in boreholes at Ekpangbala, Ejii, Agbi and Nsisioken while the concentration of Cd is above the maximum permitted limit of 0.003 mg/L in boreholes in all the communities apart from Okori (0.002 ± 0.001 mg/L). The concentrations of other heavy metals (i.e. Zn, Cr and Mn) were below the permitted limit in all samples. The spatial distribution of the commulative heavy metals in the area suggests that Pb, Cd and Ni may have originated from the same source due to their positive correlations. Conclusion: The low pH and relative high concentrations of Pb, Cd and Ni suggest that water from the boreholes in the area were of low quality for domestic use thus requires treatment and monitoring.