Comparative Assessment of the Physicochemical and Heavy Metal Contents of Borehole And Sachet Water Consumed In Aba Metropolis, Abia State

Abstract

Studies were carried out to comparatively assess the physicochemical and heavy metal levels of borehole and sachet water consumed in Aba metropolis, Abia State, following the standard analytical procedures and instrumentation. The pH, hardness, turbidity, electrical conductivity, chloride, sulphate and total dissolved solids with mean values of 7.9, 98.6mg/l, 2.72NTU, 104.55µS/cm, 47.82mg/l, 20.12mg/l and 45.11mg/l for borehole water samples and 7.3, 84.10mg/l, 1.06NTU, 72.30µS/cm, 35.20mg/l, 13.90mg/l and 28.14mg/l for sachet water samples respectively were within the WHO guidelines for a safe drinking water. The level of nitrate with mean values of 0.81 and 0.56mg/l for borehole and sachet water samples respectively were above the WHO recommended permissible limits thus suggesting public health concern. The order of decrease of the heavy metal concentrations in the borehole and sachet water samples were, Zn > Cu >Pb> Cd. Pb and Cd were present at toxic levels in the water samples consumed in Aba metropolis. Statistical analysis of the physicochemical and heavy metal levels in the borehole and sachet water samples revealed significance at p < 0.05.