Application of Hazard Quotient (HQ) for Measuring Potential Health Risk of Surface Water Users in Douglas Greek.

Abstract:

This study presents application of hazard quotient (HQ) for measuring potential health risk of upstream and downstream surface water users in Douglas Greek in Qua Iboe Terminal in Ibono L.G.A. Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. For calculating the HQ, 12 parameters, namely, Temperature, Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen(DO), TDS, TSS, Nitrate, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cr, Cl and EC were considered. The HQ for temperature was 1.2 and 1.3, turbidity was 39.2 and 44.8, DO was 2.7 and 2.5, EC was 11.7 and 12.5, TDS was 14 and 15, TSS was 26 and 30.1, nitrate was 1 and 0.9, Cl was17.3 and 19.8, Pb was 6.8 and 7.3, Cr recorded same as 0.02, nickel was 6.9 and 9.8 and Cu recorded same as 0.1 at the upstream and downstream surface water in Douglas Greek. The HQ of temperature, turbidity, DO, EC, TDS, TSS, Cl, Pb, and nickel in water samples were all greater than unity and thus posed a potential health risk for human oral consumption. The present study revealed that upstream and downstream surface water in Douglas Greek poses a health risk to surface water resource users due to surface water contamination with gas flaring. Regular monitoring of upstream and downstream in Douglas Greek is recommended as well as research by biomedical experts to reveal the rigorous adverse impacts that physio-chemical contamination of surface water might induce in humans, particularly among individuals in vulnerable populations. Also, the local authorities should be made aware of such health risks and provide potable water facilities either by treating the water or find alternative sources for drinking.