AN EVALUATION OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WATER FROM ABANDONED TIN MINE PONDS IN BUTURA, PLATEAU STATE, NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA.

Abstract

Mining has had a negative impact on the environment including the creation of mine ponds that is detrimental to human health and water quality. This study aims at evaluating the physico-chemical characteristics of water in tin mine ponds in Butura, Plateau State, Nigeria. Water samples were collected during the dry season and analyzed for parameters such as color, appearance, odor, taste, temperature, electric conductivity, turbidity, total hardness, pH, total alkalinity, manganese (Mn), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), chloride (Cl), fluoride (F), nitrate (NO3), and microbial count using various analytical techniques. The results of the physico-chemical analysis revealed that electric conductivity (775 μS/cm), turbidity (196.7Ntu), total hardness (18.5Mg/l), pH (6.7), total alkalinity (265Mg/l), Mn (3.85Mg/l), Ca (58.35Mg/l), Na (6.75Mg/l), Fe (0.015Mg/l), Mg (85Mg/l), Cl (40.25Mg/l), F (0.015Mg/l), NO3 (7.85Mg/l) are all within the World Health Organization (WHO) water quality permissible limit for consumption, except for parameters such as temperature, color, appearance, odor, turbidity and microbial count, which were over the recommended limits. The study concluded that the physico-chemical characteristics of water from the mine ponds is aberrant for consumption, which could be detrimental to humans. It is recommended that the mining pond water be properly treated before use as some of the contaminants are liable to be harmful to humans.