Assessment of nitrate and its health risk capability in groundwater used by residents around a dumpsite in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Anthropologic activities in our environment had been continuously associated with the release of nitrate a contaminant that has been linked with some dangerous health effects. This study assessed the concentration and health risk of nitrate in groundwater used by residents around a dumpsite. For this study groundwater samples were obtained randomly from 12 sampling sites near the Solos dumpsite at Igando, Alimosho local government area, Lagos, Nigeria. The water samples were analyzed for nitrate and some other physic-chemical parameters. The water quality index of the water samples was calculated to determine the suitability for consumption purposes. The non-carcinogenic hazard health risk associated with the nitrate level in the water samples was also assessed. The relationship between the nitrate in the water samples and the drinking water quality index (DWQI) was a positive one with r= 0.21 at p=0.517. The hazard index for ingestion (oral) route (HIoral) range were 0.024-0.962, 0.028-1.136 and 0.033-1.3 for male, female and children respectively. The dermal hazard index (HIdermal) shows range of 0.001-0.026 for male, 0.001-0.027 for female and 0.002-0,071 for children. Sample 6 had Total hazard index (HItotal) greater than 1for both female adult and children as 1.163 and 1.371 respectively. All water samples on this study had the presence of nitrate that were positive correlated with water quality index and only one of the samples nitrate concentration was associated with high health non-carcinogenic risk effect especially in children and women.