ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METALS ASSOCIATED WITH ARTESIAN WELL WATER IN IKPOBA SLOPE, BENIN CITY

This study assessed the levels of heavy metal contamination in artesian well water in Ikpoba Slope, Benin City, Nigeria. A community dependent on shallow artesian well water for essential domestic needs. Water samples from eight artesian wells (well sample 1–8) were analyzed for heavy metals using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Lead concentrations ranged from 0.008 ± 0.0001mg/L in well 7 to 0.015 ± 0.002mg/L in well 8, with well 2 (0.013 ± 0.001 mg/L) , 5 (0.013 ± 0.0004 mg/L) , and 8 (0.015 ± 0.002 mg/L) exceeding WHO (2011) and NSDWQ (2007) recommended permissible limit of 0.01 mg/L. while chromium ranged from 0.017 ± 0.001 mg/L in well 8 to 0.037 ± 0.002 mg/L in well 4, iron from 0.017 ± 0.0003mg/L in well 1 to 0.264 ± 0.002 mg/L in well 3, copper from 0.019 ± 0.001 mg/L in well 3 to 0.038 ± 0.001mg/L in well 7 , and manganese from 0.012 ± 0.001mg/L in well 8 to 0.018 ± 0.001mg/L in well 7. They were all within WHO (2011) and NSDWQ (2007) recommended permissible limits. Cadmium was below the detection limit across all well samples. These findings offer critical data for public health interventions and sustainable water management in Ikpoba slope.