Abstract:
An assessment of the quality of groundwater in the Effutu Municipality was carried
out at six sampling sites in some selected communities in the Effutu Municipality.
Samples were collected from November 2020 to May 2021. Analysed various
physicochemical parameters including Electrical conductivity, Temperature, pH,
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). Heavy metals analysed are Cobalt, Zinc,
Cadmium, Lead and Iron. Concentrations of the five (5) heavy metals: Cobalt, Zinc,
Cadmium, Lead and Iron were determined using Flame Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer using an air-acetylene oxidizing flame and used to evaluate the
heavy metal pollution index (HPI) using two barreled approaches. In the first instance
heavy metals that were not detected by the instrument were assigned zero
concentration. In the second instance, these heavy metals were assigned the limit of
detection from the instrument as if they were present to that extent. The result of the
study revealed that, the mean values of the pH and COD of the groundwater at the
sampling sites were within the GEPA and WHO permissible limit. However, the
Electrical Conductivity exceeds the GEPA and WHO permissible limit at some of the
selected groundwater sampling sites. The two HPI computations for not detected (ND)
for metals not detected and for the limit of detection of the instrument for metals not
detected for the dry season were 0.887 and 0.880 and for the raining season were
0.832 and 0.832. The two approaches used in the computation of HPI for the
groundwater based on the mean concentrations of the selected heavy metals and the
limit of detection from the instrument gave similar results. The near sameness of these
values indicates that both approaches could be used to calculate the HPI. There was a
significant correlation (P<0.01) between the two HPI’s. The study clearly indicates
that, the selected groundwater sites in the Effutu Municipality monitored to be free
from the selected heavy metals and can therefore be used for human consumption.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Chemistry Education, Faculty of Science Education, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (Chemistry Education) in the University of Education, Winneba
JULY, 2021
