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Contamination of the Potable Water Supply in the Lead–Zinc Mining Communities of Enyigba, Southeastern Nigeria

Kontamination der Trinkwasserversorgung in der Blei-Zink-Bergbauregion Enyigba im Südosten von Nigeria

Contaminación de la fuente de agua potable en las comunidades mineras de plomo y cinc de Enyigba, sudeste de Nigeria

尼日利亚南部Enyigba铅锌矿区饮用水污染

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Abstract

Lead, zinc, and associated minerals have been mined in the Enyigba, Nigeria area for over 92 years, leaving accumulated sulphide dumps and contaminated mine water. Stream sediment, mine tailings, mine water, stream water, and groundwater were sampled and analysed to determine the sources of potentially harmful elements in domestic water. The mine water contained mean concentrations of Cd, As, Co, Cr, Mn, Pb, and Ni that greatly exceeded those of the stream water, but samples from the streams and groundwater exceeded Nigerian drinking water and WHO thresholds for Al, Fe, and Pb, except for acceptable Pb concentrations in the borehole. Mn concentrations in one stream also exceeded Nigerian and WHO threshold for drinking water. In addition to the Pb–Zn mining, geological weathering also contributed to Pb, Al, Fe, and Mn contamination in the area.

Zusammenfassung

In der Enyigba-Region (Nigeria) werden Blei, Zink und weitere Minerale seit 92 Jahren bergbaulich gewonnen. Die Rückstände werden auf sulfidhaltigen Halden gelagert, was die Bildung von schadstoffhaltigen Grubenwasser begünstigt. In dieser Studie wurden Sedimentproben aus Vorflutern und Tailings sowie Wasserproben des Grubenabwassers und des Oberflächen- und Grundwassers untersucht, um mögliche Schadstoffquellen im genutzten Wasser zu identifizieren. Die mittleren Cd-, As-, Co-, Cr-, Mn-, Pb- und Ni- Konzentrationen des Grubenwassers liegen weit über den Werten des Oberflächenwassers. Die Proben aus dem Oberflächen- und Grundwasser liegen sowohl über den nigerianischen Trinkwasser- als auch über den WHO-Grenzwerten für Al, Fe und Pb. Ausnahmen existieren für Pb-Konzentrationen in Bohrlöchern. Die Mn-Gehalte in einem der Vorfluter übersteigen ebenfalls die gültigen Trinkwassergrenzwerte Nigerias und der WHO. Neben bergbaubedingten Freisetzungsprozessen aus dem Pb-Zn-Bergbau spielen auch geogene Verwitterungsprozesse eine Rolle, welche zusätzlich zu einer Erhöhung der Pb-, Al-, Fe- und Mn-Werte in der Region beitragen.

Resumen

El plomo, el zinc y los minerales asociados han sido extraídos en el área de Enyigba, Nigeria, durante más de 92 años, dejando relaves con sulfuro y agua de mina contaminada. Los sedimentos fluviales, los relaves de la mina, el agua de mina y las aguas superficiales y subterráneas fueron muestreados y analizados para determinar las fuentes de elementos potencialmente dañinos en el agua de consumo doméstico. El agua de la mina contenía concentraciones medias de Cd, As, Co, Cr, Mn, Pb y Ni que superaban en gran medida a las de las aguas superficiales y subterráneas pero éstas superaban los niveles aceptados para el agua potable por la legislación nigeriana y por la OMS para Al, Fe y Pb, excepto por las concentraciones aceptables de Pb en el pozo. Las concentraciones de Mn en el agua superficial también superaron los mínimos aceptados para el agua potable. Además de la minería Pb-Zn, la meteorización geológica también contribuyó a la contaminación por Pb, Al, Fe y Mn en el área.

抽象

尼日利亚Enyigba的铅、锌及其它矿物开采历史已经92年,遗留大量含硫化物的固体废物和污染的采矿废水。采集和测试了研究区河底污泥、尾矿、采矿废水、河水和地下水以识别生活用水的潜在有害元素污染源。采矿废水的Cd、As、Co、Cr、Mn、Pb和Ni平均浓度远大于河水;除了钻孔水Pb浓度处于可容许范围,河水和地下水的Al、Fe和Pb浓度已经超过尼日利亚和世界卫生组织饮用水标准。一条河水的Mn浓度也超过了尼日利亚和世卫组织饮用水标准。除了Pb-Zn开采,地质风化也使Pb、Al、Fe和Mn浓度提高。

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr S. Felix Toteu, leader of the UNESCO-SIDA-sponsored project, for his approval of this project. This work is part of the UNESCO-SIDA sponsored Project 503RAF2000 on ‘Abandoned Mines in Sub-Saharan African Countries’, which itself is an offshoot of the IGCP-SIDA Projects 594 and 606. The authors appreciate the Chief editor B. Kleinmann and co-reviewers for their constructive reviews.

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  1. Department of Geology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

    Smart C. Obiora & Theophilus C. Davies

  2. Department of Geology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

    Anthony Chukwu

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  1. Smart C. Obiora
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  3. Theophilus C. Davies
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Correspondence to Anthony Chukwu.

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Obiora, S.C., Chukwu, A. & Davies, T.C. Contamination of the Potable Water Supply in the Lead–Zinc Mining Communities of Enyigba, Southeastern Nigeria. Mine Water Environ 38, 148–157 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-018-0550-0

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