title: Investigating Groundwater Contamination Following the Disposal of Hospital Wastes in a Government Reserved Area, Enugu, Nigeria.
abstract: This study investigated the probable contamination of groundwater following hospital wastes disposal in a Government Reserved Area, Enugu, Nigeria. The ground water samples were collected from three distinct locations denoted as GW1, GW2and GW3at distances of about 100, 200 and 350 m respectively from the hospital location. The samples were collected during the dry season (December 2015, January and February 2016) and wet season (June, July and August 2016) and analyzed with standard procedures. The level of contamination of groundwater in the area was generally higher in the wet season than in dry season. The degree of contamination varies with distance and hence in the following order GW1> GW2> GW3in both seasons. The study revealed the presence of both pathogenic and non-pathogenic organisms and values of the determined physicochemical ranged from (0.02 ± 0.01-272 ± 2.22 mg/L) in both seasons. The hospital management should develop effective ways to manage their wastes to protect the environment and public health.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Toxicology & Pollution Management Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Oye, Ekiti State, Nigeria. thankgod.eze@fuoye.edu.ng.
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Eze
authors.affiliation: Environmental Toxicology & Pollution Management Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Oye, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Nwagwe
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Management & Control, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Ogbuene
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Management & Control, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Eze
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008506:Medical Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D009549:Nigeria; D012621:Seasons; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008506:Medical Waste
keywords: Environmental and Public health; Groundwater contamination; Hospital wastes; Microbial isolates; Physicochemical