Abstract
A GROWING CONCERN OF SPATIO-TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF NITRATE CONTAMINATION IN GROUNDWATER OF WARRI, NIGERIA: CAUSES, HEALTH RISKS AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES
Agori, John Ebipuakebina*, Iwemah, Ejiro Rufus and Umukoro, Osiwime Lucky
ABSTRACT
Groundwater accounts for one-third of the world’s total potable watersource. However, anthropogenic activities and natural factors haveintroduced pollutants into groundwater thereby compromising itsquality. Nitrate, one of the most important contaminants poses asignificant threat to groundwater quality, as its presence in water hasresulted in serious health risks causing various lethal diseases such asdigestive system cancer, methemoglobinemia and other diseases ininfants, children and adults. This study investigated the nitratecontamination of groundwater in Warri and its environs, focusing onits causes, the health risks on humans, and potential mitigation strategies. 50 groundwatersamples were collected from existing boreholes in the dry and wet seasons, and analyzed fornitrate concentration and its spatial and temporal distribution maps produced usinggeostatistical techniques. The nitrate pollution index (NPI) and the qualitative andquantitative assessment of the health risk of nitrate consumption and contact on humans ofdifferent ages and sexes (HHRA) in drinking groundwater in Warri, Nigeria was evaluated,The NO3 concentration mean value of 0.83 in the dry season and1.06 in the wet season were recorded, ranging from 0.02 mg/L to 3.27 mg/L in thedry season and 0.01 mg/L to 4.12 mg/L in the wet season. The nitrate pollution index (NPI)and health risk values were significantly low indicating that nitrate does not pose health threatin the study area currently. However, regular monitoring of nitrate levels in groundwater especially in areas with a high density of septic systems should be done in order to detect andaddress nitrate contamination promptly.
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