CORRELATION OF SOME PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN WATER SAMPLES FROM DIFFERENT WATER SUPPLIES IN ABA WITH WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) STANDARD

Arvin Nwakulite, *Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu, Lucy Onyinyechi Ezenofor, Richard Eze, C.C.N. Vincent, Adaobi Maryann Ibekwe, Nkiruka Millicent Amadi and Onyinye Cecelia Arinze-Anyiam

ABSTRACT

This research was conducted to correlate some physicochemical parameters in water samples from different water supplies in Aba with WHO standard. 50 water samples were divided into 10 groups of 5 samples per group. The physicochemical parameters such as pH, turbidity and presence of heavy metals such as Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) were determined to investigate their quality using standard methods and compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. The data obtained was Analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science 20 (SPSS 20) and values were considered significant at p<0.05 and insignificant at p>0.05.The result shows that pH of borehole, rain, pool and stream water with values 5.30±0.45, 7.54±0.55, 6.08±1.11, 5.64±0.50 respectively varied significantly (p<0.05) when compared to WHO standard (6.34±1.33). The turbidity of bottle, rain and satchet water with values 3.00±2.74, 1.00±2.24, 1.00±2.24 respectively did not vary significantly (p>0.05) when compared to WHO standard (3.00±1.58), while the river, pool and stream samples were significant (p<0.05). The Zn concentration of borehole, river, well, bottle, rain, satchet, pond, pool and stream water with values 0.02±0.00, 0.02±0.01, 0.38±0.20, 0.02±0.00, 0.02±0.00, 0.03±0.01, 0.02±0.01, 0.02±0.01 and 0.04±0.00 respectively vary significantly (p<0.05) with WHO (0.22±0.06), while tap water was not significant (p>0.05). Lead concentration of the tap water (0.15±0.25) varied significantly with WHO standard (0.01±0.00), while others were insignificant (p>0.05). This result shows that all water samples studied were contaminated and unfit for human consumption. This therefore calls for appropriate treatment measures before the consumption of these water samples by the populace to avoid long term accumulated health effect.

Keywords: physico-chemical parameters, water supplies, WHO standard.