ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ABATTOIR EFFLUENT DISCHARGE ON THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND MICROBIAL WATER QUALITY OF NWAMGBOKO STREAM, AMIKWO AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

This research work aimed at assessing the impact of abattoir effluent discharge on the physicochemical and microbial water quality of Nwamgboko stream, Amikwo Awka, Anambra State. Water samples were collected from the stream at four (4) different locations namely: the upstream point (control sample) (CP1), point of discharge of effluent (CP2) and downstream points (CP3) and (CP4). The upstream point was 10 meters from the effluent discharge point and the downstream points were successively 10 meters from each point and with reference to the point of discharge of abattoir effluent into the stream. In this research, the physicochemical and microbial water quality of the stream were analyzed. The physicochemical parameters analyzed were Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Turbidity, Temperature, pH, Nitrate (NO3), Phosphate (PO4) and Ammonium (NH4). While the microbial parameters analyzed were E.coli, microbial count (TCC), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO). The results revealed that the mean concentrations of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), pH and Nitrate (NO3) in water samples were 82.5 mg/l, 7.2 and 10.0 mg/l respectively which were within the maximum allowable limit set by (NSDWQ 2007) and (WHO 2008) while the mean concentrations of Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Turbidity, Temperature, Phosphate (PO4) and Ammonium (NH4) were 615.25 mg/l, 19.0 NTU, 30.8 , 1.53 mg/l and 3.71 mg/l respectively, and were above the maximum allowable limit set by NSDWQ (2007) and WHO (2008). It was also showed that the mean concentration of E.coli, Total coliform count (TCC), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and dissolved oxygen (DO) in water samples were 10,776.25 cfu/ml, 174 cfu/ml, 362 mg/l, 875 mg/l and 2.73 mg/l respectively which were above the maximum allowable limit recommended by (NSDWQ 2007) and (WHO 2008). These tests results showed that water samples collected at the downstream of the abattoir discharge point of the stream possessed higher microbial contamination owing to the injection of faecal and organic materials from the slaughter house and therefore need substantial treatment before use for domestic, industrial, and other uses.