Level of arsenic in potable water sources in Nigeria and their potential health impacts - A review

Arsenic is one of the metalloid found in Nigeria environment including soil and water especially in the Northern region were it contaminates water. This paper reviews the concentration of arsenic in potable water sources (i.e ground, surface and rain water) and their potential human health effects. The study found that the level of arsenic in potable water is usually above the permissible limit of 0.01 mg/l recommended by Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) and World Health Organization (WHO) in the Northern and Southwestern Nigeria. This has been attributed to the geological and industrial activities in the region such as mining. High exposure of arsenic could cause diseases such as cardiovascular, hematological, neurological, respiratory, gastrointestinal and birth disorders, dermatitis and cancer. The paper suggests the use of iron oxide filter and iron based sorbents as the suitable physico-chemical technologies for arsenic removal from potable water sources. Also, research on the use of biological materials such as leaves ofMusaspecies and sea shells should be conducted for determining their removal efficiency and economic feasibility of arsenic removal. Industrial wastes monitoring and water surveillance should be improved by the Government monitoring agencies.