Impact of Human Activities on Rainwater Quality in South-South Region of Nigeria

The first three spills of rainfall in 2016 were harvested from areas impacted by gas flaring and exhaust emissions namely: Ibeno, Eket, Onna, Mkpat Enin and Uyo local government areas south-south of Nigeria. Control samples were harvested from Ibiono Ibom local government area where anthropogenic source of air contaminants is negligible. These samples and Control were treated and analysed using standard procedures for their pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, nitrate, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd and Ni levels. Mean concentrations of all parameters assessed in studied rainwater were higher than their corresponding levels in the Control revealing anthropogenic inputs of these properties in the ambient air. Mean concentration of all properties determined except those of pH, Fe, Pb, Cd and Ni were within their acceptable limits. Consequently, rainwater harvested from studied areas should be treated before consumption to avoid health implications associated with acidity, Fe, Pb, Cd and Ni. This study has also shown that, human activities executed within studied areas impacted negatively on the quality of rainwater harvested. All the parameters examined exhibited strong association and common source in ambient air except pH with strong negative correlation with all the properties.