Environmental Impact on Surface and Ground Water Pollution from Mining Activities in Ikpeshi, Edo State, Nigeria

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.