Assessment of some physicochemical properties of groundwater quality in Ikwuano Region of southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of this study has been carried out to assess the ground water quality of Ikwuano region southeastern Nigeria for drinking and irrigational purposes using standard method. Data obtained show that, the pH and levels of electrical conductivity, total hardness, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, nitrate,orthophosphate, fluorides and SAR ranged from 7.50-8.00, 500-1000μS/cm, 150-400mg/l, 55-110mg/l, 130-250mg/l, 8.50- 37.00mg/l, 5.00-52.00mg/l, 2.00-22.00mg/l, 20.00-120mg/l, 10-100μg/l, 0.40-2.00mg/l and 0.80-13.00meq/l respectively. Percentage Na values range between 5.00-48.00%. Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) values showed a range of 0.80to13.00meq/L. The maximum concentration of SAR 13.00meq /L was recorded at Umugo and minimum concentration of 0.80meq /L was recorded at Ndoro. The calculated values of SAR integrated with the Electrical Conductivity indicated that the ground water in the study area can be utilized for irrigation purpose without any threat of imposition of any hazard (saline or alkaline hazard) to crop soils. Thus, the analytical data from the study area confirms that ground water present in the study area is suitable for domestic and irrigational purposes.

Keywords: Cations, SAR, Percent Sodium, Fluorosis