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Assessment of Groundwater Quality, Source Distribution of Fluoride and Nitrate, and Associate Human Health Risk in a Community in North-Eastern Ghana, Bolgatanga

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Abstract

Excessive concentrations of F−, NO3− and other chemicals in drinking water can have adverse human health effects. In this study, groundwater quality and potential source distribution of F− and NO3− in a community in north-eastern Ghana, Bolgatanga were evaluated. In addition, human health risk associated with the drinking of groundwater by the residents was assessed. Ion chromatography technique was used to determine F−, Cl−, NO3−, and SO42−, potentiometric titrimetric technique was applied to analyze HCO3−, and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to quantify K+ and Na+. EDTA titrimetric analysis was used for the analysis of Mg2+ and Ca2+. The quality of groundwater for drinking was evaluated by applying the entropy of water quality index (EWQI) and comparing the analyzed data values of different chemicals detected in the water samples to the recommended ranges of the world health organization (WHO). Evaluation of health risks associated with various age groups (infants, children, and adults) was achieved based on estimation of hazard quotient and hazard index. The results of EWQI showed that 72.00% of groundwater samples were of medium quality (i.e. grade 3) and convenient for drinking purposes upon simple treatment. The groundwater quality of nine (18.00%) and five (10.00%) sampled sites were poor and extremely poor, respectively, and they were regarded as unsafe for drinking (grades 4 and 5). Also, the results obtained revealed that F− and NO3− concentrations in groundwater samples were in the ranged of 0.18–1.83 and 2.06–81.30 mg/L, respectively. Six out of fifty samples have high F− levels exceeding the permissible limits (1.5 mg/L), while 26 samples have high NO3− levels surpassing the recommended limits for drinking purposes according to WHO (10 mg/L). Human activities such as fertilizer application on farmlands, sewage discharge, etc. are the factors influencing enrichment of NO3− contamination. The fundamental source of F− in the groundwater is the dissolution of fluorite. Correlation coefficients obtained for F− and NO3− with other chemicals have further substantiated the sources of pollutants in the groundwater of the studied area. Generally, the three age categories are vulnerable to F− and NO3− contaminants in drinking groundwater of the sampled sites. The order of vulnerability is as follows: adults > children > infants. The results of the hazard index obtained suggested that all the samples are likely to pose negative health effects on children and adults. However, the proportions are relatively smaller for infants (36%). The results of this study indicate that immediate action needs to be taken to reduce groundwater pollution of F− and NO3− in the studied area.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency (Ghana EPA) and Ghana Food & Drugs Authority (GFDA) for non-financial supports.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for this research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia

    Ebenezer Aquisman Asare

  2. Department of Nuclear Science and Applications, Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University of Ghana, AE1, Kwabenya, Accra, Ghana

    Ebenezer Aquisman Asare & Charles Kofi Klutse

  3. Nuclear Power Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Legon, P. O. Box LG80, Accra, Ghana

    Charles Kofi Klutse

  4. Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana

    Maame Serwa Opare-Boafo

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  1. Ebenezer Aquisman Asare
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Correspondence to Ebenezer Aquisman Asare.

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The dataset used during this study is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Asare, E.A., Klutse, C.K. & Opare-Boafo, M.S. Assessment of Groundwater Quality, Source Distribution of Fluoride and Nitrate, and Associate Human Health Risk in a Community in North-Eastern Ghana, Bolgatanga. Chemistry Africa 5, 173–188 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-021-00290-4

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