Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Groundwater Sources Near Dumpsites in Lagos Peri-Urban Communities
Keywords:
Heavy Metal, Groundwater, Dumpsites, Peri-Urban Communities, ContaminationAbstract
In this research, the level of heavy metal contamination was assessed in the groundwater sources located near the dumpsites evaluated within peri-urban communities of Lagos, Nigeria. Well and borehole waters were sourced within the region at varying distances from the dumpsites and evaluated for heavy metals, including chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and iron (Fe), using standard analytical procedures. Also, key physicochemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, temperature, total dissolved solids, and turbidity were ascertained to evaluate the overall quality of the groundwater. The findings revealed different concentrations of heavy metals across the sampled locations, indicating the influence of dumpsite leachate on groundwater quality. Chromium concentrations ranged from 69.81–83.43% relative contamination levels, copper from 54.51–78.24%, and zinc from 82.15–91.16%, with higher concentrations generally observed in groundwater sources closest to the dumpsites. The contamination was due to variations in pH and the relationship between leachate and groundwater. The pollution analysis revealed several groundwater sources and their affiliation to highly contaminated indices. The research summarises that sources of groundwater around the research area are liable to serious environmental and public health challenges. The study concludes that groundwater resources located near dumpsites in Lagos peri-urban communities are vulnerable to heavy metal contamination and may pose serious environmental and public health challenges if used without proper treatment.
References
[1] I. E. Agbozu and U. Bassey, “Kinetic modeling for removal of Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr ions from petrochemical effluent using termite soil,” Int. J. Sci., vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 77–82, 2016.
[2] S. Azizi, A. Azari, M. Rezakazemi, and M. Ansarpour, “Adsorption of heavy metals from aqueous solutions using modified adsorbents,” Environ. Chem. Lett., vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 683–703, 2017.
[3] N. Burham and M. Sayed, “Adsorption behavior of modified clay for heavy metal removal from wastewater,” Appl. Water Sci., vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 275–286, 2016.
[4] S. Chowdhury, R. Mishra, P. Saha, and P. Kushwaha, “Adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics of heavy metal ions,” Desalination, vol. 289, pp. 1–8, 2012.
[5] K. K. Dagde and E. R. Daka, “Adsorption isotherm studies of metal ions using clay adsorbents,” Niger. J. Technol., vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 423–431, 2019.
[6] Y.-S. Ho, “Citation review of Lagergren kinetic rate equation on adsorption reactions,” Scientometrics, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 171–177, Jan. 2004.
[7] Y. S. Ho and G. McKay, “Pseudo-second order model for sorption processes,” Process Biochem., vol. 34, no. 5, pp. 451–465, Jul. 1999.
[8] R. Kumar and V. Shrivastava, “Removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions using modified clay adsorbents,” Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol., vol. 12, no. 7, pp. 2301–2312, 2015.
[9] J. S. Piccin, T. R. S. Cadaval, L. A. A. Pinto, and G. L. Dotto, “Adsorption isotherms in wastewater treatment,” J. Environ. Chem. Eng., vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 235–243, 2011.
[10] World Health Organization, Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality, 4th ed. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, 2022.
[11] H. Canton, “United Nations Environment Programme—UNEP,” in The Europa Directory of International Organizations 2021. London, U.K.: Routledge, 2021, pp. 188–214.
[12] U. NSDWQ, Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality, NIS 554. Abuja, Nigeria: Nigerian Industrial Standard, 2007, pp. 13–14.
[13] B. J. Alloway, Ed., Heavy Metals in Soils: Trace Metals and Metalloids in Soils and Their Bioavailability. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer, 2012.
[14] F. Fu and Q. Wang, “Removal of heavy metal ions from wastewaters: A review,” J. Environ. Manage., vol. 92, no. 3, pp. 407–418, Mar. 2011.
[15] P. B. Tchounwou, C. G. Yedjou, A. K. Patlolla, and D. J. Sutton, “Heavy metal toxicity and the environment,” in Molecular, Clinical and Environmental Toxicology, vol. 3, Environmental Toxicology. Basel, Switzerland: Springer, 2012, pp. 133–164.
[16] B. Volesky, “Biosorption and me,” Water Res., vol. 41, no. 18, pp. 4017–4029, Oct. 2007.
Downloads
Published
Data Availability Statement
Available on request.
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Engineering Innovation, Research and Development
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
