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Integrated assessment of pollution status of MSW sites: a case study of Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Oron, Akwa Ibom State, southern Nigeria

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Abstract

One of the main causes of contaminated groundwater in emerging nations is improper trash disposal in urban areas, which affects the level of groundwater contamination caused by contaminants of municipal solid waste (MSW) origin within the three local government headquarters in Akwa Ibom State, southeastern Nigeria. The main thrust of this research survey is to assess the level of groundwater contaminations and their consequences. The research used statistical data generated from the Electrical Resistivity Survey (ERS) in combination with hydrogeochemical investigations. Analysis of variance of resistivity between Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Oron was carried out. The test result indicated significant difference in contamination among the three cities. This was followed by a t-test between each pair of dump and control sites in the three cities. The test results showed significant difference between each control and dumpsite. The results showed that leachate layer conductivity is always higher than that of the layer above it. All water samples from boreholes close to the dumpsites were identified by hydrogeochemical analysis to exhibit pH (3.70–4.15) lower than the permissible limit of the WHO; few water samples exhibit increased electrical conductivity (EC), cadmium and total dissolved solids (TDS). Similarly, the bacteriological analyses indicated a high level of microbial load due to the waste dump. Formations found in boreholes close to the dumpsite have litho-correlations which depict intercalations of comparatively impermeable and porous materials. The findings reveal that leachate (contaminate) travels slowly downward, allowing for physical, chemical and biological processes to filter out impurities before they get to the aquifer. It is recommended that no new water supply wells should be placed in areas of abnormally low resistivity and physicochemical and bacteriological parameters, until the reasons for these values are properly assessed.

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Source: World Health Organization (2006)

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The results/data/figures in this manuscript have not been published elsewhere, nor are they under consideration (from me or my contributing author) by another publisher.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment, the State Waste Management Board and Ikot Ekpene Club for accesses granted during the data acquisition of this present research.

Funding

This research was entirely funded by the primary/corresponding author (Abraham Udoh). There is no external funder and hence no funder ID.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Akwa Ibom State University, Mkpat Enin, Nigeria

    Abraham Christopher Udoh

  2. Department of Statistics, Akwa Ibom State University, Mkpat Enin, Nigeria

    Anthony Effiong Usoro

  3. Department of Geophysics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

    Augustine Ifeanyi Chinwuko

Authors
  1. Abraham Christopher Udoh
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  2. Anthony Effiong Usoro
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  3. Augustine Ifeanyi Chinwuko
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Contributions

Abraham Udoh was responsible for the acquisition of the original field geophysical (electrical resistivity) and hydrogeochemical data. Anthony Usoro generated statistical data from the geophysical data and Ifeanyi Chinwuko carried out hydrogeochemical interpretation. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Abraham Christopher Udoh.

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Udoh, A.C., Usoro, A.E. & Chinwuko, A.I. Integrated assessment of pollution status of MSW sites: a case study of Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Oron, Akwa Ibom State, southern Nigeria. Environ Monit Assess 196, 397 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12548-8

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