Determination of heavy metals in water from boreholes in Dumasi in the Wassa West District of western region of Republic of Ghana

Abstract

Concentrations of heavy metals in the borehole at Dumasi in the Wassa West District of the Republic of Ghana have been measured in this study. The concentrations of the following metals in the ground water from Dumasi borehole are: Iron (Fe) - 7.52 ppm, Manganese (Mn) - 1.11 ppm, Arsenic (As) - 4.52 ppm, Chromium (Cr) - 0.026 ppm, Cobalt (Co) - 0.01 ppm, Zinc (Zn) - 0.007 ppm, Cadmium (Cd) - 0.002 ppm and Lead (Pb) - 0.005 ppm. The results of the study show that resident adults and children who use water from the boreholes are at serious risk from exposure to health hazards associated with exposure to the above metals in the boreholes in Dumasi. If the results of this study are applied to other mining communities, which lie on the Birimian and Tarkwaian rock system, then the residents are at serious risk from exposure to toxic metals from drinking water from the boreholes dag for them by mining companies operating in their communities.