Physico-chemical Assessment of Rivers around Mineralized Marcasite Deposit

The present investigation provides information on some ions; Fe2+, Al3+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Ca2+. Cl-,SO42-, PO43-, and NO3- on water sample of the three rivers around the mineralized area of Marcasitedeposit. Results obtained from the analyses on four samples collected from each of the three riversshowed the mean range values of the following parameters; pH, 5.03 – 5.74, Temperature, 24.98 –25.73o C, electrical conductivity, 1.88 – 198 μs/cm. TDS, 3.5 – 5.0 mg/dm3, Chloride, 6.11 – 9.83mg/dm3, Sulphate, 1.2 – 1.3 mg/dm3, Phosphate, 0.10-0.14 mg/dm3, Nitrate, 0.321 – 0.532 mg/dm3.Total hardness, calcium hardness and magnesium hardness ranged between 0.56 – 0.78 mg/dm3, 0.42 –0.53 mg/dm3 and 0.09 – 0.25 mg/dm3 respectively. The metal ions of iron, lead, cadmium and calciumranged between <0.0001 – 0.9749 mg/ dm3, 0.8497 – 3.9647mg/dm3, 0.2483 – 1.7900 mg/dm3 and1.38 – 2.61mg/dm3 respectively. These results are within the WHO permissible limits, except for ironcontent of Ikwu Akanu river which was relatively high; the level of lead and cadmium at some points ofthe rivers were found well above the WHO recommended standard.