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Geochemical characteristics and quality of groundwater in a rural sub-Saharan context. A case study of Bafou-Baranka on Bambouto Mountain, West Cameroon

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Abstract

In rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa, groundwater is generally the only source of water for various needs, including drinking. This resource is, however, vulnerable to surface contamination that can alter its quality. Agriculture is the main activity generating pollutants in these areas. It is in this context that the present study assessed the geochemical processes controlling the mineralization of groundwater in the Bafou-Baranka agricultural area, in West Cameroon. It also assesses the suitability of this resource for consumption and irrigation. To achieve this, 06 representative sites were identified in the study area for sampling, physicochemical, and chemical analysis. The parameters analyzed include pH, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), majors cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Fe2+), and majors anions (HCO3−, Cl−, SO42−, NO3−). The results indicate alkaline conditions with a dominance of Ca2+ and HCO3− ions, indicative of the alteration and dissolution of silicate minerals. The analysis of the geochemical signature by classical methods such as the Gibbs diagram confirms that the dominant process responsible for the mineralization of the waters studied is the alteration of silicates. This diagram also highlights the contribution of the precipitation domain in the total mineralization, indicating the youth of these waters and consequently their vulnerability to local climatic variability. The linear trend of TDS vs (NO3−  + Cl−)/HCO3− and principal component analysis indicates the influence of non-natural sources on the aquifer system. These have the smallest contribution to groundwater chemistry. Therefore, the influence of anthropogenic sources in groundwater chemistry is masked on Bafou-Baranka area by geogenic factors. According to the entropy weighted groundwater quality index, and the EC vs Na+ hazard, all analyzed samples are suitable for drinking and irrigation. However, the Fe2+ content is high in the studied samples; therefore, activated carbon filters are needed to provide safe domestic water for drinking purposes. The overuse of fertilizers for agriculture should also be controlled to keep these waters safe.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, PO Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon

    Lauric Tontsa, Lucas Kengni, Adoua Njueya Kopa, Orline Lesley Mbianda Nfong-Ya, Carlos Foko Tamba & Raoul Merlin Ndonbou

  2. Department of Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Science, University of Dschang, PO Box 222, Dschang, Cameroon

    Emile Temgoua

Authors
  1. Lauric Tontsa
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  2. Lucas Kengni
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  3. Adoua Njueya Kopa
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  4. Emile Temgoua
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  5. Orline Lesley Mbianda Nfong-Ya
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  6. Carlos Foko Tamba
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  7. Raoul Merlin Ndonbou
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study’s conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Lauric Tontsa, Lucas Kengni, Adoua Njueya Kopa, Emile Temgoua, Orline Lesley Mbianda Nfong-Ya, Carlos Foko Tamba, and Raoul Merlin Ndonbou. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Lauric Tontsa and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Lauric Tontsa.

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Responsible Editor: Broder J. Merkel

Highlights

• Groundwater chemistry is mainly controlled by natural factors.

• The current anthropogenic contamination is very low.

• Groundwater can be used for drinking and irrigation.

• Fe2+ concentration is above the WHO standard due to geogenic processes.

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Tontsa, L., Kengni, L., Njueya Kopa, A. et al. Geochemical characteristics and quality of groundwater in a rural sub-Saharan context. A case study of Bafou-Baranka on Bambouto Mountain, West Cameroon. Arab J Geosci 16, 203 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-023-11287-3

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