Abstract

Aim: Given the heavy reliance on borehole and hand-dug well water in the Iddo Sarki area amid increasing anthropogenic and geochemical pressures on groundwater quality, this study aims to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics, selected trace metals, and major ions, and associated non-carcinogenic health risks of groundwater sources used for drinking purposes.
Methods: Groundwater samples were collected from a strategic borehole and a hand-dug well in Iddo-Sarki. Analysis was conducted using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) to determine the concentration of Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), and Magnesium (Mg) in water samples from hand-dug wells and boreholes. Human health risk assessment was conducted using the hazard quotient (HQ) method to estimate potential non-carcinogenic risks associated with exposure to the detected trace metals.
Results: The results of trace metals from the hand-dug well to the borehole range from 64 to 66 mg/L, with an average of 65 mg/L. Zinc levels ranged from 0.47 to 1.71 mg/L (mean: 1.09 mg/L), while iron levels ranged from 0.20 to 0.45 mg/L (mean: 0.33 mg/L). The concentration levels were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) guideline values for drinking water, noting that Iron and Magnesium slightly exceeded aesthetic/operational guideline levels rather than health-based limits. The calculated HQ values indicate no significant non-carcinogenic health risk to the local population.
Conclusion: This study found that concentrations of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in the sampled borehole and hand-dug well were within health-based guideline limits, with all calculated hazard quotient (HQ) values below unity, indicating no significant non-carcinogenic health risk under the assessed exposure conditions.

Key words: Concentration, Groundwater, Trace metals, Iddo Sarki, Public Health Risk