Heavy Metals Suitability in Irrigation Water Sources of Bauchi Suburb, Bauchi State, Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VII, Issue IV, April 2020 | ISSN 2321–2705

Heavy Metals Suitability in Irrigation Water Sources of Bauchi Suburb, Bauchi State, Nigeria

Muhammad, R.H.¹, Hassan, U.F.^1*, Mahmoud, A.A.¹, Baba, Haruna², Hassan, H.F.³, Madaki, A.A.⁴ and Madaki, A.I.^5
1Department of Chemistry, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria
²Department of Chemistry, College of Education, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria
³Department of Community Medicine, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano State, Nigeria
⁴Department of Human Physiology, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria
⁵Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency, Bauchi, Nigeria
*Corresponding Author

Abstract: – This study determined the concentrations of copper, chromium, lead, nickel, zinc, manganese, iron, cadmium and cobalt in the irrigation water samples collected within Bauchi metropolis using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Water samples were collected from Federal Secretariat, Murtala Muhammad Way, Ran Road and Fadamar Mada. The concentrations of all the metals varied with locations. The results revealed that concentrations of chromium (0.05 to 0.15 mg/dm³), lead (0.10 to 0.38 mg/dm³), nickel (0.05 to 0.10 mg/dm³) and cobalt (below detectable limit to 0.02 mg/dm³) are within the permissible limits of WHO, 2001, while that of copper (5.48 to 22.32 mg/dm³), zinc (0.90 to 8.02 mg/dm³) and cadmium (0.05 to 0.10 mg/dm³) are above the permissible limits of WHO, 2001. The levels of iron (2.67 to 6.33 mg/dm³) and manganese (0.10 to 0.88 mg/dm³), in water samples collected from Federal Secretariat Road and Ran Road are within the permissible limits, while those from Murtala Muhammad Way and Fadamar Mada are above the maximum limits of  WHO. The results obtained in the water samples were subjected to One- Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) test. The differences in the levels of  chromium, nickel, manganese, cadmium and cobalt were found to be significantly the same, while the differences in the concentrations of copper, lead, iron and zinc were significantly different (p ≤ 0.05). Based on the high concentrations of copper, zinc, cadmium, manganese and iron in some irrigation water samples found in the different sources of the irrigation water sampled, this means there is contamination in the irrigation water samples which may affect the plant(s) grown in those areas and this may also in turn pose a health threat(s) to the consumers of the agricultural products.

Keywords: Heavy metals, Irrigation water, permissible limit, One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD).

I. INTRODUCTION

Food security is one of the major problems of the world ^[1]. When agricultural lands are exposed to polluted water for a long time, toxic metals can build up to high unacceptable concentrations ^[2]. Among all the contaminants that affect water supplies, heavy metals need a special attention because of their high toxicity even at low levels ^[3]. The volume and availability of water is one of the factors limiting irrigation. Considering the gradual decrease of water resources in recent times, the proper use of available water sources is one of the most important responsibilities of human kind. Unless precautions are put in place for effective water purification, the ground and surface water as well as soil may lose their characteristics gradually. In many regions of the world, agricultural activities have been mainly maintained on riversides. The contaminations from industrialization, agricultural activities and urbanization may combine with river water and all these may result in serious metal accumulation in vegetables ^[2].

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