Major and trace element compositions in groundwater of Awe area, parts of the middle beneue trough-Northcentral Nigeria

Abstract

A Hydrogeochemical study was carried out in Awe town and environs. The aim of the 
research was to determine the major, trace, and rare earth elements content of the 
waters and their suitability for domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses. Fifteen water 
sources from hand dug wells, a spring, pond, and boreholes were collected and analyzed. 
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrophotometer was used to analyze the major cat
ions trace elements and rare earth elements. Ion Chromatography was used to detect the 
anions and bicarbonate by titration method. In an attempt to determine the species of the 
trace elements in the waters, modeling was carried out using the WATEQ4F. Generally, both 
the trace and the rare earth elements appear to be low in all the water sources and metal 
species obtain in the area indicate a dominantly reducing environment. Probable reasons 
for the low content of the trace elements may be the insolubility of their minerals, com
plexation, adsorption to clays, and some oxides which has immobilized them. Chlorine/
Bromine ratios indicate source of saline water (Cl/Br = 1,961) in the free flowing artesian 
borehole at Old Awe town to be evaporitic in origin. Four groundwater facies types were 
obtained in the study area; Ca+Mg-HCO3
, Na+K-HCO3
, NaCl, and Mg-SO4
. Physico-chemical 
parameter, trace elements, and their species determined in the area indicate that except 
for the acidity of the water, over 80% of water sources are fresh and soft and therefore 
good for general domestic uses. Percentage sodium, Sodium Absorbtion Ratios, magne
sium hazards, and salinity hazards also show that except for three sample locations, all 
other samples are within values recommended for agricultural purposes. Industries like 
Rubber manufacturing, sugar processing, textile mills, dairy product manufacturing, and 
paper industry can be situated in the study area.