Tags:Cluster Analysis, Factor Analysis and Groundwater Quality
Abstract:
A total of 20 sampling points were selected for the study, the groundwater samples were collected in triplicate and analyzed for physicochemical and trace metals values using standard methods .The results showed that concentration range of Mn, Cr, and Pb (0.33- 19.79, 0.09- 0.30 and 0.02- 2.99 mg/L respectively) were found to be slightly higher above the maximum permissible limit of Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality and World Health Organization( 0.2, 0.05 and 0.01mg/L respectively) while Fe, Cu, and Zn concentrations are below or within the permissible limit (0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/L respectively) in majority of the boreholes. The values for physicochemical variables EC, pH, Temp., TDS, T/Hardness, Ca, Mg, Cl, and NO3 were found to be below or within the permissible limits. Factor Analysis (FA) was used to investigate the origin of each water quality parameters and yielded five Varimax factors with 75.28% total variance respectively, indicating the major variations are related to anthropogenic activities and natural processes. Cluster analysis results grouped the 20 sampling points into five statistically significant clusters based on their similarities. Since the parameters Cr, Mn and Pb have significant loading factor and their spatial variability imply larger impacts on the groundwater quality, so it must be carefully and accurately mapped and those boreholes with high level of these metals should be closed, while new ones constructed. Further work is recommended to correlate the presence of high level of some of the trace metals with possible health implications/outbreak that is likely occurring or expected to occur.
Hydrogeochemistry to Assess the Groundwater Quality Using Multistatistical Methods