ASSESSMENT OF SOME PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF BOREHOLE WATER SAMPLE IN GADAU

This research was carried out to assess some physicochemical parameters in boreholes' water samples drilled near public conveniences in Gadau metropolis, Nigeria. A total of 13 samples were randomly collected and analyzed from different sampling sites for some physicochemical parameters. The results for physicochemical parameters ranged as follows: pH (7.00±0.200-7.300±0.100), electrical conductivity (93.333±5.774-2756.670±30.551 μS/cm), color (50.50-403.667±3.055 pt. co. unit), turbidity (0.000-74.667 NTU), taste was detected in 57% of the water samples from the sampling sites, and odor was detected in about 40% of the sampling sites. Total alkalinity (16.267±1.761-410.167±15.873 mg/l), chloride (23.667±4.099-541.367±20.496 mg/l), total hardness (51.200±3.200-149.467±11.085 mg/l), sulfate (8.333±0.289-11.000±1.000 mg/l), nitrate (5.013±0.006-23.233±3.493 mg/l), and phosphates (0.90±0.006-1.967±0.115 mg/l). Sulphate, phosphate, nitrate, total hardness, and total alkalinity were found to be within the maximum permissible limit set by W.H.O. The pH, EC, color, taste, odor, turbidity, chloride, and contents were found to exceed the maximum permissible limit set by the W.H.O. in most of the samples analyzed. Analysis of variance shows that there is a significant difference at P < 0.05 in all of the parameters analyzed. It can be concluded that most of the physicochemical parameters analysed fall below the maximum permissible limit set by W.H.O