Hydro-geochemical features and groundwater attribute evaluation in North - central Abuja, Nigeria

• Main Authors: Ehizemhen. C. Igibah, Lucia. O. Agashua, Abubakar. A. Sadiq
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-07-01
• Series: Scientific African
• Subjects: Pollution; Abuja; Groundwater; Hydrochemical; North-central; Nigeria
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227620300624

ABSTRACT: Groundwater contamination ensuing from poor effluent management and anthropogenic effects is rising in Nigeria. Thus, groundwater utilized for drinking and domestic purposes is hesitant and so demands scientific analysis. Scrutiny of hydrochemical interfaces and attribute of groundwater resource is needed so as to ascertain and monitor sources of water contaminants. Due to this, groundwater samplings were obtained from 25 sites in Abuja North, Nigeria then examined for physicochemical parameters by means of standard techniques. Results acquired were compared with WHO standards as well as subjected to geospatial and hydrochemical analyses. Five principal components which described 82.4% of the disparity in water attribute, were extricated with the PC1 (30.5%) and PC2 (19.67%) representing the anthropogenic effects, influence of mineral suspension, and contamination chemical fertilizers correspondingly, on the hydrochemistry of the region. The extreme level of significant correlation was found to subsist between EC and K+ (r = 0.770, α = 0.05). Groundwater in Abuja displayed a high level of spatial discrepancy and majority of the ions, such as Na+, TDS, SO42−, and Alk, recorded the highest values close to the municipal center. To strengthen the clarification of these geospatial plots, Hierarchical cluster scrutiny was utilized and produced four (4) hydrochemical clusters of the study region Clusters 3 and 4 showed the worst violations of water attribute criteria with percentage violation of 50 and 40% correspondingly. The increasing order of water attribute was Cluster 1 > Cluster 2 > Cluster 4 > Cluster 3. The Schoeller diagram shows the comparative propensity of ions in mg/L which indications Mg > Na > Ca and SO4 > Cl > HCO3. Further analysis revealed that water in the box 1 as carbonated group which symbolizes a water rich in Ca-HCO3, thus revitalizing. At large, the groundwater of the Abuja locality was contaminated by agricultural deeds, ion exchange, and human-induced actions.