A Preliminary Assessment of Groundwater Samples around a Filling Station in Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Abstract

This paper is a preliminary assessment of groundwater samples around a filling station in Diobu area of Port Harcourt for four years at intervals of two years with a view to determine the level of groundwater pollution. It examines the physiochemical, major ions and heavy metal aspect of groundwater quality around the study area. Both factor and cluster analysis for the period under investigation shows that variables such as OG, NO₃, PO₄ that recorded high factor loadings and closer clusters may have been introduced from anthropogenic sources while Ec, TDS, Cl, Fe, TSS, salinity, hardness may be due to saltwater intrusion from the sea. The  anthropogenic factor (AF) value also indicates significant influences from natural processes.
Significant influences may have been from natural process but were enhanced by over pumping/nearness to the sea and oil/agricultural activities.

KEY WORDS: Multivariate Analysis; Anthropogenic Factor; Physico-Chemical; Diobu; Nigeria