Vol. 1 (2025)
Artículos Originales

Drinking water status and Health Risk Assessment of a South-EasternNigeria River

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  • Emeka Donald Anyanwu,
  • Lauretta Adaku Onyemachi,
  • Amarachi Grace Stephen
Emeka Donald Anyanwu
Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike
Lauretta Adaku Onyemachi
Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike
Amarachi Grace Stephen
Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike

Publicado 2025-11-20

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7770/jonraf-v1-art6

Palabras clave

  • Heavy metal,
  • potable,
  • drinking water,
  • indices,
  • season,
  • river
    • ...Más
    Menos

Derechos de autor 2025 Emeka Donald Anyanwu, Lauretta Adaku Onyemachi, Amarachi Grace Stephen (Autor/a)

Creative Commons License

Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial 4.0.

Resumen

Purpose: Drinking water is one of the ecosystem services derived from lotic systems especially in developing countries.However, drinking from water sources of doubtful quality portends serious health risks. The heavy metal concentrations of arural Southeastern Nigeria river were evaluated between November 2023 and October 2024 to determine its drinking waterstatus and potential health risks.Methods: Chemical analysis, Water Pollution Index (WPI), Risk Quotient (RQ) and non-carcinogenic health risk assessmentwere used. Eight heavy metals were evaluated, using standard methods and compared with Nigerian Standard for DrinkingWater Quality.Results: The concentrations were iron (0.62 – 1.65 mg/L), manganese (0.24 – 1.10 mg/L), copper (0.18 – 0.93 mg/L), zinc(0.39 – 1.23 mg/L), chromium (Cr(VI)) (0.09 - 0.56 mg/L), lead (0.05 - 0.37 mg/L), cadmium (0.01 - 0.28 mg/L), and nickel(0.02 - 0.19 mg/L). All exceeded their limits except copper and zinc. WPI values were > 1, ranging from 8.22 (station 2) to9.58 (station 3); indicating serious pollution while risk quotient (RQ >1) confirmed that iron, manganese, chromium (VI),lead, cadmium, and nickel were of health interest. The hazard indices (HI) were > 1, with adults ranging from 7.91 (station 2)to 9.14 (station 3) and children from 10.86 (station 2) to 12.66 (station 3). Anthropogenic activities within the watershed andseason influenced the metals. Chromium, lead, nickel and cadmium contributed to the observed adverse health risks, whichwas more on the children.Conclusion: The Anya River water is not potable but can be used for other domestic purposes like washing, cleaning andirrigation.

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