Copper Concentration and Distribution in the Ground Water of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Nigeria

Abstract

Copper toxicity in the ecosystems have becomes a global concern in recent times; therefore, there is need to curtail the increment of copper concentration within the environment. In this study, a total of 67 ground water samples were collected from the premises of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, at a depth of 90 cm. The water samples were collected during the peak of the rainy season (September 2019); when the water table of the study area was very high, close to the soil surface. Copper concentration of all the water samples collected was measured using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed that copper concentration in the study ranged between 1.01 mg/L and 2.105 mg/L. The spatial distribution of the copper concentration within the study area was determined using Geostatistical tool. Variation map developed from the results showed that the copper concentration does not spread uniformly across the study area. High copper concentration was generally recorded at the North Eastern and central parts of the school; while low copper concentration was recorded at the South Eastern part of the school. Furthermore, the results strongly showed that waste dump potentially affects the copper concentration of the ground water within the study area. This study results advocated the need for proper waste disposal with the polytechnic environment, and the adequate treatment of the groundwater before human consumption.