title: Effect of agrochemical use on the drinking water quality of Agogo, a tomato growing community in Ashanti Akim, Ghana.
abstract: The effect of agrochemical use in agricultural activities on the drinking water quality of ground and surface water within Agogo, a prominent tomato growing area in the Ashanti region of Ghana was assessed by monitoring physicochemical parameters, trace metals and microbial quality of two water sources. Levels of contamination were greater in surface water than groundwater. Trace metal levels (mg/L) were 1.40, 0.12, 0.08 and 0.18 in surface water and 0.08, 0.10, 0.05 and 0.08 in groundwater for Fe, Pb, Zn and Cd, respectively. Lead and Cd in surface and groundwater exceeded USEPA maximum acceptable levels (MCLs) for drinking water. Bacterial indicator numbers (geometric means/100 mL) in surface water varied from 9.35 x 10⁵ to 1.57 x 10¹¹ for total coliforms, 4.15 x 10⁴ to 2.10 x 10⁷ for faecal coliforms and 2.80 x 10 to 3.25 x 10² for enterococci, but none was found in groundwater.
authors.affiliation: Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Obiri-Danso
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Adonadaga
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Hogarh
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D016573:Agrochemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D005869:Ghana; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D016573:Agrochemicals; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical