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Research Paper | Soil and Agricultural | Nigeria | Volume 10 Issue 10, October 2021
Assessment of the Suitability of Abandoned Tin Mine Ponds for Irrigation Agriculturein Bukuru - Jos, North Central Nigeria
Kwaghe E. J. [2] | Akamigbo F. R. O. | Igwe C. L. A.
Abstract: Samples of water were collected from the abandoned tin mine ponds in each of the three locations of Bukuru study area and were used to characterize the abandoned tin mine ponds and also to determine heavy metal concentrations. Analyses of the water samples were done using standard laboratory procedures. Results of water quality analysis revealed that the mean values of all the parameters analyzed were below their respective WHO (1993) and FEPA (2001) critical limits, except for total dissolved solids (TDS) which averaged 2, 198 mgkg - 1 above the WHO and FEPA critical limits of 500 mgkg - 1, and Turbidity which had mean values of 33.67 NTU above the WHO and FEPA critical limits of 5 NTU. The results of the water analyses further revealed four heavy metals identified in the abandoned tin mine ponds, namely, Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn. The safety in the use of the abandoned tin mine ponds were established for irrigation by relating their heavy metal contents to the Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) critical limits. The concentrations of these heavy metals were found to be low in the abandoned tin mine ponds as they were below the WHO) critical limit for drinking water, FAO permissible limit for irrigation and FEPA guidelines for land application. Therefore Bukuru abandoned tin mine ponds were not contaminated with any of the heavy metals determined. However, the use of the water from the abandoned tin mines for both domestic and irrigation purposes will require treatment as the total dissolved solids (TDS) and turbidity values were far above WHO and FEPA threshold values and also due to salinity hazards in the long run.
Keywords: impact assessment, water quality, abandoned tin mine ponds, heavy metals, Bukuru - Jos, Nigeria
Edition: Volume 10 Issue 10, October 2021,
Pages: 1379 - 1387