DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4422546

Health Risk Assessment of Some Selected Heavy Metals in Water and Sediment Samples from Kwanar are Dam, Katsina State, North-Western Nigeria

Yaradua AI¹*, Alhassan AJ², Uba AI¹, Nasir A¹, Suleiman ZA¹, Yaradua AI³, Dangambo MA⁴, Yaradua IA⁵ and Ibrahim H⁵

¹Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, P.M.B. 2218, Katsina, Nigeria

²Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Bayero University Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria

³Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Katsina State, Nigeria

⁴Department of Cartography and GIS, College of Environmental Studies Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna

⁵Department of Geography, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, P.M.B. 2218, Katsina, Nigeria

*Corresponding author, email: aliyuyaradua5@gmail.com

Abstract: This work contributes to the monitoring of water and sediment heavy metal pollution of Are dam Rimi Local Government Area, Katsina State Nigeria, using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. From the results, Pb, Ni, and Cd level in the water sample are above the safety limit. The water Pollution index (PI) and Metal index (MI) indicate a threshold threat to human and aquatic life’s utilizing the water, the Geo accumulation index (I-geo), Enrichment factor (EF), Contamination factor (CF), and Potential ecological risk index (PERI) values in sediment sample indicate unpolluted (class 0) with minimal enrichment, low contamination level, and low ecological risk respectively. The target hazard quotient (THQ) and Health risk index (HI) values for adults and children of the heavy metals in the water sample were below 1 suggestive of no non-carcinogenic adverse health hazards to the population. The Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values were at the threshold level of 1.0 × 10−4 for Pb in children and Cd in adult and above the threshold for Cd in children and Ni in adult and children in the water sample, pointing to potential cancer risk to both adults and children from drinking the water sample.

Keywords: Pollution, water, sediment, contamination, health hazard