European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF EFFLUENTS ON ABA RIVER LOCATED IN ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

*Nwakanma C. and Okechukwu C.

ABSTRACT

The physicochemical parameters of effluents on Aba River located in Abia State Nigeria were assessed over the duration of 4 months (January through April, 2015). Parameters measured include pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, turbidity, biological oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, nitrate, sulphate, organic matter and carbon levels and these were simultaneously monitored in the upper stream at Umueze using standard methods. Unacceptably, high levels of the assayed parameters were observed in many cases for nitrate ranged from 0-0.2mg/L for upper stream with a mean of 0.029 and 0-0.75mg/L for Aba River with a mean of 0.36; while dissolved oxygen ranged from4.4-13.6 for upper stream with a mean of 8.1, 3.2-11.6mg/L for Aba River with a mean of 6.4; turbidity ranged from 86-97NTU and 90-94NTU for the two sampling point and means of 91.1and 91.7 respectively. Conductivity ranged from 133- 450μscm⁻ with a mean of 301.4μscm⁻ for upper stream and 90 - 96 μscm⁻ with a mean of 91.7μscm⁻ for Aba River ;Ph range of 6.65 -7.45 with a mean of 6.91 for upper Stream and 6.85 – 7.84 with a mean value of 6.91, and 6.8 5 – 7.48 with a mean value of 7.06; sulphate ranged from 5. 53 – 35.48mg/L with a mean of 16.96mg/L for upper stream and 3.46 – 46.54mg/L with a mean value of 19.21mg/L for Aba River; COD ranged from 2.0 – 6.0mg/L with a mean value of 4.0mg/L for upper stream and 0.8 – 7.2mg/L with a mean value of 3.49mg/L. The study has revealed that there was an adverse impact on the physiochemical characteristics of the Aba River as a result of the discharge of untreated effluents from the wastewater from Abattoir facility. This poses a health risk to several rural communities which rely on the receiving water bodies primarily as their sources of domestic water. There is need for the intervention of appropriate regulatory agencies to ensure treatment of Abattoir wastewater prior to disposal in the River.

Keywords: Biological/Chemical Oxygen Demand, Nitrate, Dissolve Oxygen, Conductivity, pH. Dissolved Oxygen