Radioactivity, physical and chemical parameters of underground and surface waters in Qua Iboe River Estuary, Nigeria

Radioactivity, physical and chemical parameters of underground boreholes and surface waters in the region of Qua Iboe River Estuary involved in oil production activities were measured. The physical and chemical parameters measured included pH, temperature, turbidity, and concentrations of total dissolved and suspended solids, dissolved oxygen, chemical and biochemical oxygen demand, oils and grease, salinity, hardness (carbonates and bicarbonates), chlorine, sulphide, and metal ions. The work reveals that the radioactivity, physical and chemical parameters determined for both the underground and surface waters are safely below the international permissible limits except that of carbonate (68.6 mg/d - 228.7 mg/l) and bicarbonate (22.9 mg/l - 76.3mg/l) which renders both sources of water hard. The exceedingly high concentration range of hydrogen sulphide (40 mg/l-440 mg/l) in both sources is also beyond the international limit of 0.05mg/l. The ammonium ion concentration (1.40-2.80mg/l) was determined to be slightly higher in both the underground and surface waters than the international limit of 0.5mg/l.