Water Quality Assessment of Dug Wells in Lagos Island, Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Communication in Physical Sciences 2019, 4(2):110-117

Received 20 November 2019/Accepted 20 December 2019

Several evidences abound that shallow wells can constitute public health problems if its water is incidentally contaminated. Consequently, physicochemical parameters and metal concentration of groundwater samples from Lagos Island were analysed and compared with WHO (2011) standards. Water samples were taken from dug wells across four clusters within Lagos Island in Nigeria. Standard (AOAC) methods were adopted in the analysis of the physicochemical parameters while heavy metals ions determination was done using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results obtained revealed noticeable discrepancy in the levels of some physicochemical properties and metal ion concentration in the water samples when compared with WHO (2011) standards. Though most physicochemical parameters were within safe limits, hardness, conductivity, concentrations of lead, zinc, calcium, manganese and potassium exceeded their permissible limits. Decreasing order for the concentration of the metal ions was Ca ˃ Mg ˃ K ˃ Zn ˃ Fe ˃ Cu ˃ Mn ˃ Pb ˃ Ni ˃ Cd. From the results and findings of the study, it is proposed that if mitigating measures are not implemented, well water within Lagos Island may constitute future environmental threat.