Quarrying of rock aggregates generates produced water that, if not handled properly will be a source of pollution for nearby water bodies, thus affecting the chemistry of the water. This study examined the chemistry, impact of quarrying activities on water resources and the health consequences/risks posed by ingestion of the water by humans in the Akamkpa quarry region in southeastern Nigeria. Thirty (30) water samples consisting of pond water, stream water, hand dug wells, and borehole samples were collected and analyzed for their physicochemical parameters using standard methods. The results obtained from the analyses indicated that the water was moderately acidic, fresh, and not salty, with many parameters below the recommended standards with Ca2+, and HCO3− being the dominant ions present in the water resources. Rock weathering processes including silicate weathering as illustrated by hydrochemical facies, cross plots, and Gibbs diagrams are the dominant mechanisms influencing the quality and major ions chemistry of the water resources with minor contributions from dissolution, anthropogenic activities, and ion exchange. Ca-Mg-SO4-Cl and Na–K-HCO3− are the most important water types. Although the water quality index shows that the water is suitable for human use and irrigation, the mean values of As, Cd, Pb, and Se are above the acceptable limits. Additionally, the calculated contamination factor revealed the water resources are moderate to highly contaminated by As, Cd, Cr, Mo, Pb, Sb, and Se, and are therefore unsuitable for consumption with regards to these parameters. However, the residual sodium carbonate and water hazard index (WHI) values showed that 38% to 90% of sites in the quarry area were unsuitable for cultivation, 10–30% were in the low to medium impact category, and 60% were classified as risky and are from high to very high impact category. A non-cancer study of inhabitants living in the vicinity of the quarry area indicated that 6.7% of the sites have values greater than one, indicating that it may endanger the health of the people. Therefore, constant monitoring of the water quality is recommended as long-term use of contaminated water can harm humans, plants, and soils.

中文翻译：

---

尼日利亚东南部 Akamkpa 采石场区附近水资源中金属和类金属的水化学特征、水质及相关健康风险调查


石料采石会产生产出水，如果处理不当，将成为附近水体的污染源，从而影响水的化学性质。本研究调查了尼日利亚东南部阿卡姆帕采石场地区的化学成分、采石活动对水资源的影响以及人类摄入水造成的健康后果/风险。收集了三十 (30) 个水样，包括池塘水、溪流水、手挖井和钻孔样品，并使用标准方法分析了其物理化学参数。分析结果表明，水体呈中等酸性、新鲜且不咸，许多参数低于建议标准，其中Ca2+和HCO3−是水资源中存在的主要离子。岩石风化过程，包括硅酸盐风化，如水化学相、交会图和吉布斯图所示，是影响水资源质量和主要离子化学的主要机制，溶解、人类活动和离子交换的贡献较小。 Ca-Mg-SO4-Cl 和 Na-K-HCO3− 是最重要的水类型。尽管水质指标表明该水适合人类使用和灌溉，但As、Cd、Pb和Se的平均值超出了可接受的限度。此外，计算的污染系数显示，水资源受到As、Cd、Cr、Mo、Pb、Sb和Se的中度至高度污染，因此就这些参数而言不适合消耗。 然而，残留碳酸钠和水害指数（WHI）值显示，采石场地区 38% 至 90% 的场地不适合种植，10% 至 30% 属于中低影响类别，60% 属于中度影响类别。为有风险，并且影响类别从高到极高。一项针对采石场附近居民的非癌症研究表明，6.7%的地点的数值大于1，这表明它可能危害人们的健康。因此，建议持续监测水质，因为长期使用受污染的水会危害人类、植物和土壤。