ABSTRACT

The physicochemical parameters and heavy metals of some major watei sources in Olokoro in Umuahia South Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria were determined, to investigate their water quality. Analyses were done on water samples for Temperature, pH, Electrical conductivity (EC), Total dissolved solids (TDS), Alkalinity, Acidity, Total hardness, Turbidity, Salinity, Nitrate, Phosphate, Calcium ion, and Magnesium ion using standard methods and evaluated with the World Health Organization standards. The concentration of heavy metals in some major water sources in Olokoro was determined from source to tributaries using Atomic Absorption spectroscopy (AAS) to ascertain the influence of geological distribution of minerals that vary from one location to the other. All physicochemical parameters analysed in water samples were within recommended standards except the following: ). Nitrate values in the samples ranged from 9.2 to 21.0 mg/l with a mean value of 12.6+14.5 mg/l The values are above the WHO recommended limit of 10.0 mg/l except point l(Ntushi in itaja) shows a value (9.2) that is within WHO recommendation limit. Phosphate values were generally above WHO permissible limit of 5mg/l. It ranged from 6.34 to 7.56mg/l with a mean value 6.87±1.74mg/l. Point 2 (oyivu in umuibeji) had the highest phosphate contents among the water samples analyzed, generally above WHO permissible limit respectively, and the concentration of Zinc (3.2 mg/l), lead (0.0024 mg/l) copper (0.18 mg/l), Iron (0.029 mg/l) and all other heavy metals detected vary from one location to another. These results indicated that water source from point 2, point 3, point4 samples are polluted with'organic and moiganic ■ substances and therefore unfit for drinking at its present state. This therefore, calls for appropriate treatment measures before the consumption of these waters by the populace to avoid long term accumulative health problems of these pollutants. Recommendations on the strategies to reduce/eliminate some of these pollutants were made.