Empirical study of the groundwater protection potential and water quality using the electrical resistivity method and a PG990 spectrometer around Obafemi Awolowo university dumpsite Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Groundwater plays a very important and fundamental part in human existence because of its essential role in living systems. The study aimed at carrying out an empirical study into groundwater protective potential and water quality around Obafemi Awolowo University solid waste facility and AbaGboro Community. This was achieved by using the electrical resistivity method to delineate the subsurface inhomogeneity around the dumpsite facility and also using the PG990 Atomic Absorption Spectrometer for metal analysis of water quality. The Schlumberger electrode array arrangement was engaged in the survey. A total of twelve vertical electrical soundings (VES) data was collected within the Obafemi Awolowo University dumpsite. The water samples were collected at two locations within the AbaGboro community which was 4.5 Km from the dumpsite to determine its quality. The results of the VES revealed the depth, resistivity, and thickness. The observed resistivity and the thickness values were further used in determining the groundwater protective potential, by calculating the Dar-Zarrouk parameters which showed that 91.7% of the study area is within poor/weak protective potential. The result from the water analysis of the hand-dug bore holes of the two different locations in the AbaGboro Community showed the presence of heavy metal concentrations as Pb, As, Mn, Cd, Zn, Cr and Co. Therefore, periodic assessment of water quality should always be carried out because we cannot anticipate when the groundwater will be contaminated due to relatively poor/weak groundwater protective potential.