Assessment of Physicochemical Characteristics of Selected Borehole Waters in Oke-Oyi Community, Ilorin East Local Government Area, Kwara State

Abstract

The physicochemical parameters of seven different borehole waters in Oke-Oyi, Ilorin East Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria were assessed to determine it suitability for human consumption. The parameters examined include temperature (28 - 29⁰C), conductivity (414 - 1603 μs/cm), pH (5.71 - 6.57), total hardness (20.2 - 67.3 mg/L). The concentrations of heavy metals determined are Zn (0.010 – 0.022 mg/L), Fe (0.002 - 0.120 mg/L), Cr (0.075 - 0.12 mg/L), Cu (3x10^-4 – 2x10^-3 mg/L), Co (0.01 - 0.26 mg/L) and Mn (0.082 - 0.94 mg/L). There was no lead detected in two of the borehole water samples while those detected have low concentration range 1 x 10^-5 – 6 x 10^-5. The results of physicochemical parameters obtained are within World Health Organisation (WHO) limits except for the pH that is slightly lower and the conductivity of OKY 1 that is slightly higher. 

Keywords: Borehole water, physicochemical parameters, Heavy metals, Community, Quality