Abstract

The electrical resistivity survey has been used in the determination of the overburden protective capacity in Amukpe area of Delta State, Nigeria. Nineteen Schlumberger vertical electrical soundings (VES) were carried out with maximum electrode separation of 1000m. The data were presented as VES curves interpreted quantitatively by computer iteration using the Resist Software to obtain the first order geoelectric parameters. Three geoelectric layers namely the topsoil, laterite/clayey sand and sand (medium to coarse grained) were delineated from the survey. The topsoil has resistivity values ranging from 43 to 1067m and thickness varying from 0.8 to 1.6 m. The second geoelectric layer is composed of clayey sand and laterite with resistivity values ranging from 77 to 644 m and thickness varying from 3.8 to 6.7 m. While the third geoelectric layer represents the aquiferous unit with resistivity values ranging from 200 to 1067 m diagnostic of sand (fine to coarse grained). The interpreted geoelectric data correlated with lithologic logs of a borehole drilled in the study area. The overburden protective capacity in an area was evaluated by utilizing the total longitudinal unit conductance values. The generated longitudinal conductance map showed poor protective capacity (

Key words: Protective capacity, Amukpe, Geoelectric, Pollution