Heavy Metals Analysis and Physicochemical Characterization of Groundwater at a Battery Recycling Site in South-western Nigeria

Abstract

Indiscriminate dumping of battery waste is a huge issue that endangers human health and the environment. This study aimed at analysing the health impacts of exposure to pollution from spent battery recycling in Ogun State, which houses a diverse range of battery recycling industries. At this study site, forty water samples were studied over the Wet and Dry seasons to assess the impact of battery recycling waste on groundwater. Except for the TSS, the physiochemical parameters of the groundwater vary with season and are within the permissible limits. The electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity, Phosphorus, Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), Dissolve oxygen (DO), and Total suspended solid (TSS) within the study year ranges from 51.00 - 178.22 S/cm, 2.26 - 2.36 NTU, 0.089 - 0.66 mg/L, 13.3 - 14.2 mg/L, 5.06 - 5.67 mg/L, and 78.0 - 88.4 mg/L, respectively. Furthermore, the average concentrations (in ppm) obtained for Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, As, Fe, Pb, Cr, and Co are 0.407 – 0.42, 0.355 – 0.369, 0.179 – 0.225, 0.061 – 0.265, 0.366 – 0.464, 0.488 – 0.631, 0.544 – 0.601, 0.481 – 0.576, 0.284 – 0.334, 0.3 – 0.382. The Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) values ranging from 3.880 to 4.528 indicate minimal levels of heavy metal contamination, but water quality index (WQI) scores ranging from 124.68 to 131.46 indicate potential environmental hazards.