Article Dans Une Revue Asian Journal of Environment & Ecology Année : 2026

Design and Evaluation of a Sand–Charcoal–Gravel Water Filter for Bioremediation of Heavy Metals in Illegal Mining Sites of Zamfara State, Nigeria

Résumé

Illegal artisanal gold mining in Zamfara State, Nigeria, has resulted in severe environmental contamination and widespread exposure to toxic heavy metals, particularly lead (Pb). This study presents the design, optimization, and evaluation of a low-cost sand–charcoal–gravel filtration system for the remediation of contaminated water in affected communities. Water samples were collected from six mining sites and analyzed for heavy metal concentrations before and after filtration using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA), were employed to assess filtration performance. The system achieved significant reductions (p < 0.05) in multiple heavy metals. Iron concentrations decreased from 3.619 to 1.805 mg/L and from 3.457 to 1.627 mg/L in highly contaminated sites, while manganese levels were reduced from 0.876 to 0.211 mg/L, meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) limit of 0.4 mg/L after treatment. Cadmium concentrations declined markedly from 0.97 to 0.043 mg/L and from 0.59 to 0.041 mg/L, although still exceeding the WHO guideline of 0.003 mg/L. Similarly, chromium and nickel were reduced from 0.687 to 0.373 mg/L and from 0.822 to 0.419 mg/L, respectively. Lead, the most critical contaminant, decreased from 16.876 to 11.876 mg/L and from 13.262 to 10.267 mg/L across sites; however, post-filtration concentrations remained above the WHO permissible limit (10 mg/L) in most cases. These results demonstrate that the sand–charcoal–gravel filtration system is an effective and affordable approach for reducing heavy metal contamination in water from artisanal mining communities. Nevertheless, the persistence of elevated lead levels highlights the need for further optimization, including improved adsorbent materials or multi-stage filtration systems. This study provides a practical foundation for developing scalable, low-cost water treatment solutions in resource-constrained environments.

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Dates et versions

hal-05613565 , version 1 (06-05-2026)

Identifiants

  • HAL Id : hal-05613565 , version 1

Citer

Jafar Usman, Muazu Abubakar Gusau. Design and Evaluation of a Sand–Charcoal–Gravel Water Filter for Bioremediation of Heavy Metals in Illegal Mining Sites of Zamfara State, Nigeria. Asian Journal of Environment & Ecology, 2026, 25 (5), pp.63-71. ⟨hal-05613565⟩
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