Groundwater has many characteristics that make it preferable as water supply. But once becomes contaminated, its location and low rate of replacement with fresh water makes it difficult to return it to its pristine state. Toxic and organic chemical pollutants pose threat to the safety of water resources in Khartoum. Contamination of the river Nile system leads to contamination of groundwater resources.Present study aimed to evaluate the current chemical quality of Khartoum state groundwater resources in terms of its heavy metals and refractory organic content. A comparison of the obtained result with national and international standards was also carried out.To realize the objective of this study, a quantitative analysis of nine samples collected from three boreholes named A (Dar Alsalam block (21) ), B (Alkaadarow Almadaris) and C (Alazhari block (15)) during three seasons; autumn, winter and summer were investigated. Heavy metals concentrations (Pb, Cr, Cd and Fe) were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma- Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP- AES). For refractory organic compounds, TOC and BOD5 tests were carried out, the ultimate value (BODu) was calculated as 1.7 BOD5 and then the difference between TOC and BODu was estimated as the concentration of refractory organic compounds.The result showed that groundwater boreholes were safe with respect to cadmium, iron and chromium pollutants, but they contain high levels of lead and refractory organic compounds. The concentrations of lead exceeded both national and international permissible levels which are expected to be due to infiltration of poorly treated sewage and some industrial effluents or from the process of recharging groundwater by contaminated surface water. Since there are no treatment processes in water supply treatment plants targeting the removal of these pollutants, populations consuming this water are expected to be exposed to many health hazards.
Groundwater is one of the main sources of water supply in many countries. Sudan has great potential of renewable and nonrenewable groundwater resources, which are important sources of water supply for domestic, industrial and agricultural uses. Omdurman locality is one of the biggest localities in Khartoum State, the capital of Sudan. The geological units in this area are composed of superficial deposits, volcanic rocks, Cretaceous sedimentary rocks and Basement Complex. Basement rocks representing the blanket upon which other formations were deposited, more or less subsurface occurrence to considerable depths. Groundwater quality may not remain unchanged, it undergoes temporal and spatial changes due to different reasons such as annual recharge, pollution and mass circulation. Quality may be changed to an extent that it may be unfit for the intended uses. This study aimed to assess the spatial and temporal variation of groundwater quality in Omdurman locality, Sudan in term of its physiochemical property.A quantitative Comparative study was used for three previous studies carried out in the area during three sequential years 2012, 2013 and 2014. The mean and maximum concentrations of six parameters obtained in those three studies were compared. Although the study area of three previous studies has the same geological feature, great spatial variation and temporal fluctuation among the physiochemical characteristics were noticed. Some parameters showed gradual increase in concentration during three subsequent years,2012-2014 such as sulfate while other parameters showed fluctuation during the same period such as sodium. Many parameters records levels of concentration exceeded both national and international standard levels. Routine check out of the physiochemical quality of the groundwater sources and investigating pollution sources among the borehole in the study area are highly recommended.
Groundwater has many characteristics that make it preferable as water supply. But once becomes contaminated, its location and low rate of replacement with fresh water makes it difficult to return it to its pristine state. Toxic and organic chemical pollutants pose threat to the safety of water resources in Khartoum. Contamination of the river Nile system leads to contamination of groundwater resources.Present study aimed to evaluate the current chemical quality of Khartoum state groundwater resources in terms of its heavy metals and refractory organic content. A comparison of the obtained result with national and international standards was also carried out.To realize the objective of this study, a quantitative analysis of nine samples collected from three boreholes named A (Dar Alsalam block (21) ), B (Alkaadarow Almadaris) and C (Alazhari block (15)) during three seasons; autumn, winter and summer were investigated. Heavy metals concentrations (Pb, Cr, Cd and Fe) were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma- Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP- AES). For refractory organic compounds, TOC and BOD5 tests were carried out, the ultimate value (BODu) was calculated as 1.7 BOD5 and then the difference between TOC and BODu was estimated as the concentration of refractory organic compounds.The result showed that groundwater boreholes were safe with respect to cadmium, iron and chromium pollutants, but they contain high levels of lead and refractory organic compounds. The concentrations of lead exceeded both national and international permissible levels which are expected to be due to infiltration of poorly treated sewage and some industrial effluents or from the process of recharging groundwater by contaminated surface water. Since there are no treatment processes in water supply treatment plants targeting the removal of these pollutants, populations consuming this water are expected to be exposed to many health hazards.
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