Original Article: Open Access
Internatonal Journal of
Earth Science and Geophysics VIBGYOR
ISSN: 2631-5033
Citaton: Murana KA, Shuaibu AM, Ajibade II (2019) Hydro-Geophysical Assessment of Soil and Groundwater Near Actve Dumpsites in
Gusau Metroplis, Zamfara State, Nigeria. Int J Earth Sci Geophys 5:028
Accepted: November 18, 2019; Published: November 20, 2019
Copyright: © 2019 Murana KA, et al. This is an open-access artcle distributed under the terms of the Creatve
Commons Atributon License, which permits unrestricted use, distributon, and reproducton in any medium,
provided the original author and source are credited.
*Corresponding author: Murana KA, Department of Geological Sciences, Federal University Gusau,
Zamfara State, Nigeria
Murana et al. Int J Earth Sci Geophys 2019, 5:028
Hydro-Geophysical Assessment of Soil and
Groundwater Near Actve Dumpsites in Gusau
Metroplis, Zamfara State, Nigeria
Murana KA
1*
, Shuaibu AM
1
and Ajibade II
2
1
Department of Geological Sciences, Federal University Gusau, Nigeria
2
Department of Physics, Federal University Gusau, Nigeria
Abstract
Soil and groundwater pollutons are worldwide phenomena which result from both natural
and anthropogenic sources. In this research, geophysical investgatons involving geoelectric
survey using ABEM SAS 300 Terrameter was carried out around three actve dumpsites in
Gusau, Northwestern, Nigeria for hydro-geophysical assessment of the contaminaton of soil
and groundwater. Vertcal electrical Soundings (VES) were conducted on the dumpsites by
using Schlumberger array with maximum current electrode separatons of 180 m. Five VES were
conducted on each dumpsite making a total of ffeen VES along three profles. The feld data
obtained has been analyzed using WinGlink sofware which gives an automatc interpretaton
of apparent resistvity. The VES results revealed three subsurface layers. The geologic sequence
beneath the study area is composed of topsoil (clay to sandy-clay, sandy-lateritc), weathered
basement, fractured basement and fresh basement.The topsoil has resistvity ranging from 1.5
Ωm to 48.2 mΩ while the thickness vary from 0.47 m to 3.37 m across the profles. The second
layer's resitvity vary from 5.4 Ωm to 144.35 Ωm and their thickness ranges from 1.36 m to
16.93 m. The third geoelectric layer has resisitvity from 70.0 Ωm to 6003.0 Ωm. The results
revealed that the top soils in all the dumpsites were characterized by very low resistvity
depictng possible polluton and contaminaton at all dumpsites. The dumpsites are depicted by
diferental decompositon of waste as zones of advanced decompositon and fresh waste are
refected by low and high resistvity respectvely. The second and third layers show moderate
to high resistvity values which are indicatve of leachate absence. These areas are suitable
for groundwater expolraton. Findings from the study indicate that there may be possible
contaminaton of shallow groundwater system in the nearest future if proper mitgaton
measures are not taken into consideraton at the dumpsites.
Solid wastes are produced on daily basis as a
result of direct consequence of inevitable human
actvites. Refuse contents consist of various kinds
of materials like metallic, organic and non-biode-
gradable materials [1]. The intensity of the human
actvites has led to increasing volume of solid
Introducton
The environment has over the years faced ad-
verse natural and anthropological challenges in-
cluding over populaton, rapid loss of biodiversity,
global warming and waste management.
DOI: 10.35840/2631-5033/1828