Nitrates and nitrites content of water boreholes and packaged water in Calabar metropolis

Abstract

Nitrate and nitrite levels were determined in forty-three water samples obtained from different locations in Calabar using colorimetric methods. Twenty-three of these samples were packaged water while twenty were borehole water. Nitrate levels were found to be 24.28 ± 9.30μg/ml and 34.57 ± 14.56µ/ml for packaged water and borehole water respectively. Nitrite concentration were 0.09 ± 0.07μg/ml and 0.06 ± 0.06µg/ml for packaged water and borehole water respectively. Nitrates were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in borehole water than in packaged water. The mean nitrate and nitrite levels in water samples studied were below the allowed Maximum Contamination Level (MCL) of 44.30μg NO₃/ml and 1.00μg NO₃/ml respectively as recommended by United States Public Health Service and adopted by Federal Environmental Protection Agency of Nigeria (FEPA). The toxicological importances of the findings are discussed.

Keywords: nitrates, nitrites, boreholes, packaged water


Mary Slessor Journal of Medicine Vol. 5(1), 2005: 7-10