Authors : G.K. Anudu, S.E. Obrike, L.N. Onuba and A.E. Ikpokonte
Abstract: Angwan Jeba and its environs lies within the Basement Complex of northcentral Nigeria and is underlain by migmatitic gneiss, biotite gneiss, biotite schist, muscovite schist and older granites with minor intrusions of pegmatite and quartz veins. The study involved the hydrochemical characterisation of waters of the area to ascertain their chemistry, quality and suitability for domestic, livestock and irrigation purposes. A total of eight hand-dug wells, four hand-pump boreholes, one stream and two rivers water samples were analysed for their cations and anions. Physical parameters such as temperature, pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) were measured in the field. Results of the analysed chemical (cations and anions) parameters ranged as follows: Ca2+ (9.4-36.1 mg L-1), Mg2+ (3.8-11.7 mg L-1), Na+ (17.64-41.5 mg L-1), K+ (4.36-18.14 mg L-1), Fe (0.08-3.0 mg L-1), Cu (<0.01-0.99 mg L-1), HCO3¯ (84.08-134 mg L-1), Cl- (37.3-49.79 mg L-1), SO42¯ (13.2-23.4 mg L-1) and NO3¯ (ND-0.96 mg L-1). The Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Exchangeable Sodium Ratio (ESR) values varied between 0.73-1.59, -1.015-0.633 meq L-1, 159-450 μS cm-1 and 0.333-1.187, respectively. Evaluation of the results revealed that the waters are fresh (130 ≤TDS≤304 mg L-1), soft to moderately hard (39.12≤ TH≤128.85 mg L-1), slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (6.85≤pH≤7.20) have low to medium Salinity Hazard (SH) and belong to four water facies types namely : Na-HCO3-Cl, Na-Ca-HCO3-Cl, Ca-Na-HCO3-Cl and Ca-Mg-HCO3-Cl. These waters have acquired their chemistry from the basement rocks, dissolution of silicate minerals and cation exchange reactions. All the analysed parameters were within the WHO Guidelines for drinking water and therefore are considered to be suitable for domestic, livestock and irrigation purposes.
G.K. Anudu, S.E. Obrike, L.N. Onuba and A.E. Ikpokonte, 2011. Hydrochemical Analysis and Evaluation of Water Quality in Angwan Jeba and its Environs, Nasarawa State, Northcentral Nigeria. Research Journal of Applied Sciences, 6: 128-135.