Environmental risk assessment of the intake of contaminants in aquifers in the vicinity of a reclaimed waste dumpsite in Owerri municipal, Southeastern Nigeria

• Published in: Applied water science 2021-02, Vol.11 (2), p.1-19, Article 24
• Main Authors: Ibe, Francis Chizoruo, Opara, Alexander Iheanyichukwu, Amaobi, Collins Emeka, Ibe, Bridget Onyekachi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; Aluminium; Aluminum; Aquatic Pollution; Aquifers; Boreholes; Carcinogens; Children; Chromium; Comparative Law; Consumption; Contaminants; Contamination; Correlation analysis; Drinking water; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Environmental assessment; Environmental risk; Groundwater; Groundwater treatment; Health risks; Heavy metals; Hydrogeology; Industrial and Production Engineering; International & Foreign Law; Metallic pollutants; Metals; Municipal wastes; Nanotechnology; Nitrates; Organic contaminants; Original Article; Pollutant load; Pollutants; Pollution; Pollution index; Pollution load; Private International Law; Quotients; Reclamation; Risk assessment; Waste dumpsite; Waste Water Technology; Water analysis; Water consumption; Water Industry/Water Technologies; Water Management; Water pollution; Water Pollution Control; Water quality; Water sampling; Water supply
• ISSN: 2190-5487; 2190-5495
• DOI: 10.1007/s13201-020-01355-4

The study investigated groundwater sources within reclaimed municipal waste dumpsites around Akachi road in Owerri, Southeastern Nigeria. The research evaluated the pollution and risk inherent in the consumption of groundwater in the vicinity of the reclaimed waste dumpsite using standard procedures. Results showed acidic pH values for some groundwater samples within the reclaimed waste dumpsite. Elevated nitrate (NO 3 − ), aluminium (Al) and chromium (Cr) concentrations above the World Health Organization (WHO) limits for drinking water samples were recorded in some of the groundwater samples from the study area. The observed strong positive correlations between the metallic contaminants indicated that the distribution of the pollutants has a strong relationship with organic contaminants in the reclaimed waste dumpsite. Low contamination factor was exhibited by all metals for the individual samples except for Cr in sample A and Al in sample A and D. The pollution load index for all the samples was low, except for sample C with a pollution load index of unity. Elevated hazard quotient > 1 and hazard index > 1 were observed for both adults and children due to high Cr levels. The chronic daily intake risk assessment revealed values