ESTIMATION OF EMBALMING CONTAMINANTS IN SOIL AND GROUNDWATER SAMPLES FROM CEMETERY LEACHATES IN MBAIORBO, MBADIM-MBATIAV LEACHFIELD IN GBOKO, NIGERIA

Abstract

Selected organic and inorganic contaminants in soil and water around burial sites in Mbaiorbo, Mbadim-Mbatiav, Gboko, Nigeria was studied using standard analytical methods. Results of analysis revealed variations in some physicochemical parameters, concentrations of heavy and organic pollutants. Five sampling locations were chosen for collection of soil and water samples and one sampling location, about 2 km away from the cemetery e4was chosen for control sample. The soil parameters for analytical and control samples estimated were, pH 4.80±0.06 (4.89±03), Electrical conductivity (μS/cm) 148.37±0.18 (79.00±0.02), Total organic carbon (%) 1.837±0.04 (1.585±0.05), Organic matter (%) 3.167±0.03 (2.732±0.04) and Bulk density (g/cm) 1.32±0.03 (1.44±0.02). The water parameters estimated were, Temperature (oC) 28.00±0.00 (28.00±0.00), pH 5.27±0.06 (6.00±0.00), Electrical conductivity (μS/cm) 114.35±0.23 (88.23±0.11), Chloride (mg/L) 2.08±.004 (0.95±0.02) and Nitrate (mg/L) 0.8899±0.05 (0.6116±0.00). The concentrations in ppm of heavy metals in the soil analytical and control samples estimated were, As (was not detected, ND, in both samples), Cd 0.167 (0.146), Cr 0.332 (0.032), Ni ND (ND), Pb 0.354 (0.592), Cu ND (ND) and the heavy metals pollutants in the water analytical and control samples estimated were, As ND (ND) Cd 0.008 (0.009), Cr 0.334 (0.349), Ni ND (ND), Pb 0.142 (0.141), Cu ND (0.049), The concentrations in ppm of organic pollutants estimated were, Formaldehyde 0.04213 (ND), Ethanol 0.02022 (0.24654), n-propane 0.04665 (ND) Iso-butanol 0.08366 (0.89675) and Methanol ND (ND). Contamination factor and geo-accumulation index models used to estimate the level of soil and water pollution by heavy metals and organic pollutants revealed that the soil and water samples were highly contaminated with Cr but the level of organic pollutants in water were low. Green burial practice and strict monitoring of water quality in dug wells and streams in the vicinity of the burial sites from the study area is recommended.