TITLE:
Environmental Impact on Surface and Ground Water Pollution from Mining Activities in Ikpeshi, Edo State, Nigeria
AUTHORS:
G. N. Idris, G. O. Asuen, O. J. Ogundele
KEYWORDS:
Environment, Impact, Water, Pollution, Mining, Activities
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.5 No.7,
June
27,
2014
ABSTRACT: The study
was carried out to evaluate the surface and groundwater condition from mining
activities in Ikpeshi and its environs in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of
Edo State, Nigeria. Twenty water samples were randomly collected and analyzed—one
borehole water sample, two hands dug wells, eight river samples and nine quarry
pits water samples. The physiochemical, heavy metal and bacteriological
analysis of the water sample, as well as the variables were compared with those
of the World Health Organization (WHO) standard (2008), United State
Environmental Protection Agencies (USEPA) standard (2012) and National Agency
For Food, Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC) in Nigeria to determine
their suitability for drinking and domestic purposes. The variables determined
are: pH ranges from 7.67 - 8.56 mg/l which is suggestive of neutral to alkaline
in character, calcium ranges from 5.12 - 2416 mg/l, turbidity ranges from 1.16 -
15.32 mg/l, total dissolved solid (Tds) ranges from 90 - 366 mg/l and total
hardness ranges from 58.65 - 187.37 mg/l, fall within WHO standard, are
suggestive of concentration of detergent from soap, calcium, magnesium,
suspended solid particles and colloidal matters from some of the water samples.
While iron ranges from 0.08 - 0.16 mg/l, potassium ranges from 0.02 - 0.18
mg/l, chloride ranges from 30.03 - 120.13 mg/l, sulphate ranges from 1.03 - 5.36
mg/l, nitrate ranges from 0.01 - 0.23 mg/l, lead ranges from 0 - 0.01 mg/l,
Zinc ranges from 0 - 0.08 mg/l, copper ranges from 0 - 0.02 mg/l and magnesium
ranges from 1.38 - 6.56 mg/l, fall within standards. Coliform count ranges from
0 - 14 mg/l. The water should be treated before the consumption because of its
high concentration of detergent, suspended particles, faecal materials and
calcium from the water samples. The quarry pits should be reclaimed and
rehabilitate after mining. Alkaline materials should be used to neutralize the
rock pile area, dumped site, tailing and mine pit itself to avoid acid
generation.