Hydrochemical interfaces and spatial assessment of Usuma River water quality in North-Central Nigeria

Surface water contagion resulting from anthropogenic deeds and bad effluent management due to swift urbanization has cause a dramatic deterioration in river water quality and has threatened the aquatic ecosystem health of Nigeria. Thus, treated and untreated river water usage for domestic purposes is uncertain and, accordingly, requires scientific investigation. Research on the quality of surface water resources and hydrochemical interfaces is vital for monitoring and for determining water contaminant sources. Therefore, river samplings were obtained from 5 sampling points, for a total of 25 water samplings from the Usuma River in Abuja, Nigeria, and these samples were examined for physicochemical parameters by means of standard techniques. Additionally, the results acquired were subjected to hydrochemical scrutinizes and the examined water quality variables demonstrated wide discrepancies from one sampling station to another. The result also showed that Conductivity had the highest mean (50.68mg/l), followed by TDS (37.32mg/l) whereas Nitrite had the lowest mean (0.09mg/l). Similarly, Chloride had the highest Standard deviation (12.77mg/l).This was followed by Conductivity (11.82mg/l) while Nitrite had the lowest value of 0.01mg/l. Furthermore, most parameter (Temp, Turbidity, DO, COD, BOD and Total coliform) for every water samples examined surpassed the maximum permissible criterions of the WHO specifications for drinking water quality. The highest point of substantial correlation was found between chloride and DO (r = 0.92, alpha = 0.05). Four principal components were obtained that accounted for 23.87% drop in dimensionality that defined 76.13% of the total variance signifying the impact of mineral suspension and human-related actions on the hydrochemistry of the region. Two hydrochemical clusters were recognized with noticeably apportioned water quality. Advance analysis divulged that 43.7, 20.2 and 37.1% of the samples were of the (SO4-Cl-Ca, SO4 - Cl- CO3HCO3-Ca-Mg and Mg - Ca) types, respectively. Multiple pollution effects, anthropogenic activities, the changing ecosystem, and innate features of aquatic ecosystems produce multifaceted data that pose a threat to river water quality in the study locality and this requires serious attention. There is also a need for the schedule monitoring of the Usuma River in Abuja and buffer regions at the riparian zone to enervate the deleterious effects of catchment urbanization. (C) 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of African Institute of Mathematical Sciences / Next Einstein Initiative.