HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS AND HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT OF A RURAL MULTIPURPOSE STREAM, SOUTHEAST NIGERIA
The heavy metal concentrations of a rural multipurpose stream in South-east Nigeria were evaluated between May 2021 and October 2021 in 3 stations. The non-carcinogenic health risk assessment was used to check the water’s suitability for human consumption, swimming and wadding. Eight heavy metals...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Editura Universităţii din Oradea
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Natural Resources and Sustainable Development |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://docs.google.com/viewerng/viewer?url=http://nrsdj.com/papers/2022-2/07.+Anyanwu+Emeka+Donald.pdf |
| Summary: | The heavy metal concentrations of a rural multipurpose stream in South-east Nigeria were
evaluated between May 2021 and October 2021 in 3 stations. The non-carcinogenic health risk
assessment was used to check the water’s suitability for human consumption, swimming and wadding.
Eight heavy metals were assessed using standard methods and the Nigerian Drinking Water Quality
Standard was used as standard. The concentrations were zinc (0.07 - 0.52 mg/l), copper (0.04 – 0.19
mg/l), manganese (0.04 - 0.31 mg/l), lead (0.01 - 0.09 mg/l), nickel (0.01 - 0.05 mg/l), chromium (0.02
- 0.11 mg/l), iron (0.10 and 0.91 mg/l) and cadmium (0.01 and 0.07 mg/l). Some metals (manganese,
lead, iron, cadmium, nickel and chromium) exceeded acceptable limits. The hazard indices (HI) for
oral exposure was 3.34 – 3.96 (adult) and 4.29 – 5.69 (children) while for dermal exposure, it was 0.96
– 1.10 (Adult) and 0.93 – 1.17 (children). The HI values were higher than 1 except for HIdermal (adult
and children) in station 3. The heavy metal concentrations and health risk assessment has shown that
the water from this multipurpose rural stream was not fit for human consumption, swimming or
wadding. This conclusion was based on the high concentrations of manganese, lead, iron, cadmium,
nickel and chromium, which exceeded limits but cadmium was responsible for the adverse health risk
observed. The children were more susceptible. The health risk involved in consuming water from this
stream was high in all the stations and should be discouraged. On the other hand, there was a moderate
health risk for swimming and wadding in stations 1 and 2 and none in station 3 which was considered
negligible. Geogenic influence was a major factor but was influenced by season and anthropogenic
activities (especially agriculture) in the stream. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2066-6276 2601-5676 |