Assessment of Groundwater Samples in the Niger Delta Using Chemometric and Geospatial Techniques

The Niger Delta, rich in natural resources but facing serious environmental challenges, requires a thorough assessment of groundwater quality for safe drinking water and sustainable practices. This research analyzes the groundwater chemistry in the Benin Formation to evaluate its suitability for domestic and industrial use. The study employs chemometric techniques to assess these characteristics comprehensively. 179 groundwater samples were assessed according to APHA, (2012) criteria for ten physicochemical parameters which include pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), chloride (Cl⁻), bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻), sulfate (SO₄²⁻), sodium (Na⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), potassium (K⁺), and calcium (Ca²⁺). The average concentrations of analytes across the study area are as follows: pH ranged from 4.3-8.9, TDS (4.11-2330), EC (0.45-1163us/cm), Cl- (0.76-387mg/l), HCO3-(0.001-164.5mg/l), SO42- (0.001-164.5), Na+0.07-306.93mg/l, Mg2+ (0.001-123.0), K+ (0.11-153.75) and Ca2+ (0.001-126.15mg/l). Notably, approximately 60% of samples exhibited a pH below the recommended minimum of 6.5. The evaluated water quality index ranges from good to excellent for domestic and industrial use. The dominant groundwater types encountered are in the order of Bicarbonate > Chloride >Sulphate. PCA and Rock Source deduction ratios show that the major factors influencing the groundwater chemistry include geogenic factors such as saltwater intrusion and silicate mineral dissolution and anthropogenic factors such as leachate migration and industrial effluent discharge. The study observes that while groundwater is generally suitable for use, pH remediation is necessary and recommends the need for differentiated groundwater usage and treatment based on the varying groundwater types present in the region.