Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Elemental composition of drinking water supplies in three states in Southeastern Nigeria

  • Letter to the Editor
  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The levels of some trace elements; Co, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, Pb, Fe, Hg, Se, As, Ni and minor elements; Na, K, Ca and Mg were determined in public drinking water supplies (public taps and groundwaters) in three states in Southeastern Nigeria using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The mean levels of most of the trace elements in the groundwater samples were below the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water quality limits, the only exception being Hg whose mean value of 3.69 μg/l exceeded the WHO limit of 1.0 μg/l. Violations of the WHO limits were also observed for Fe, Zn, Se and Pb in some of the groundwater samples. In the public tap samples only Hg violated the WHO limit.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. S. M. Pier, K. Bang Moon, Environment and Health,M. T. Norman (Ed.), Ann Arbor Science, Publishers Inc. The Butterworth Group, 1980, p. 367.

  2. WHO, Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, Vol. 2, Health Criteria and Other Supporting Information, WHO, Geneva, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  3. M. M. Kapu, B. Basak, A. Job, I. O. Umaru, S. M. Kalla, B. Y. Mohammed, B. A. Harun, D. I. Schaeffer, Trace Elements Med., 6 (1989) 178.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. A. O. Ogunsua, O. I. Asubiojo, N. A. Nkono, A. F. Oluwolf, N. I. Ward, A. O. Akanle, N. M. Spyrou, W. Ruck, Trace elements in drinking waters in some parts of southern Nigeria. In: Proc. Intern. Conf. On Heavy Metals in the Environment, Vol. 1, CEP Consultants, Toronto, Canada, September, 1993, p. 127.

    Google Scholar 

  5. A. T. Ellis, D. E. Leyden, W. Wegscheider, B. B., Jablonski, W. B. Bodnar, Anal. Chim. Acta., 142 (1982) 73.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. C. N. Durfor, C. Becker, U.S. Geol. Surv., Water Supply Pap. No 1812, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  7. T. D. Flaten, Sci. Tot. Environ., 102 (1991) 35.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. N. I. Ward, Multielement analysis of natural water using Inductively Coupled Plasma-source mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), in: Watershed 89, the Future for Water Quality in Europe, Vol. 2, Proc. IAWPRC Conf., Guildford, U.K., 1989,D. Wheeler, M. L. Richardson andJ. Bridges (Eds), 1989, p. 197.

  9. M. S. Bratakos, Th. F. Zarifopoulos, P. A. Siskos, P. V. Ioannou, Sci Tot. Environ., 76 (1988) 49.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. H. K. Sharma, B. Singh, V. K. Mittal, H. S. Sahota, Nucl. Geophys., 3 (1989) 289.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. ANON, Water Supply for New York State, Division of Water, New York State, Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY, 1985.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

    N. A. Nkono & O. I. Asubiojo

Authors
  1. N. A. Nkono
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. O. I. Asubiojo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nkono, N.A., Asubiojo, O.I. Elemental composition of drinking water supplies in three states in Southeastern Nigeria. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 227, 117–119 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02386440

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02386440

Keywords

Search

Navigation