Soluble and particulate metal contaminants in azare groundwater system

Investigation on the Partitioning of metal contaminants between the soluble and particulate phases in Azare groundwater system hereby reported. Water samples were randomly collected from twenty boreholes and twenty hand-dug wells within Azare town. Concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb and Cd in these samples were determined as soluble and total metals using flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The results of the investigation reveal that the proportions of the soluble metals in Azare groundwater are: 84.9% for K, 80.5% for Ca, 88.6% for Mg, 67.2% for Zn, 56.8% for Mn, 22.2% for Cu, 39.9% for Pb and 17.5% for Cd in the boreholes, and 93.1% for K, 87.6% for Ca, 91.8% for Mg, 69.3% for Zn, 76.3% for Mn, 22.5% for Cu, 44.5% for Pb and 42.5% for Cd in the wells. These findings suggest that, on the average, K, Ca, Mg, Zn and Mn were being transported predominantly as soluble metals while Cu, Pb and Zn were being transported predominantly as particulate metals in Azare groundwater system. The implication of the findings to availability and toxicity of metal contaminants in drinking water to living system depend largely on the forms in which the metals exist.