Integration of Hydrogeophysics and Principal Component Analysis in Hydrogeochemical Evaluation of Some Aquifers of Anambra Basin, Nigeria

Abstract

The hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater in parts of Anambra Basin has been evaluated using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Water samples were collected and analysed for physicochemical parameters which were interpreted using principal component analysis that consolidated large number of observed variables into smaller number of factors. The PCA produce 4 significant components that explain more than 93% of the total variance of the original data set of the basin. While PC1 has a high load of TH, TDS, SO₄, Cl, Mg, Ca, and explains 39.51% of the total variance, PC2 with high loading of NO₃ explains 22.23% of the total variance in the analysis. PC3 and PC4 characterized by high loading of Fe and pH accounted for 19.34% and 12.26% of the total variance respectively.

The extracted principal components PC1, PC2, PC3, and PC4 are associated with the effects of agriculture, geology and poor waste disposal in the area. The strong correlation of Ca with TH, TDS and Cl also indicate a common source of the parameters influencing water quality in the area.