Assessment of Physico-chemical Parameter of Saclux Paint Industrial Effluent on Nkoho River Sediments of Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

Heavy metals are easily adsorbed to sediments, which can act as a sink and secondary source of these contaminants in water and aquatic biota. The study aimed to assess the potential impact of industrial effluents from Saclux Paint Industry on the recipient sediment quality of Nkoho River in Abia state. Samples were taken at the effluent discharged point, upstream and downstream of the discharge point and geo-referenced using Garmin 76CSx Global Positioning system (GPS). Results of the heavy metal concentration of the receiving water body were compared with that of the effluent. Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb), Chromium (Cr) and Copper (Cu)) in the sediment and effluent were estimated using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The results show that Lead was higher (0.15 – 0.23 mg/kg) in the polluted water sediments than in the control water sediment (0.12 – 0.17 mg/l). In all, Manganese (Mn), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), and Nickel (Ni) had values which were higher in the corresponding sediments.. The resulting data were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and it shows that there were variations in the quality characteristics of the effluent in the different sampling time (September, October and November) as well as in the quality characteristics of the river water samples at the different sampling points, the paint effluent showed significant variations in its quality over time. In conclusion, it was observed that the poor quality of the water occasioned by the further deterioration by the entrance of the paint industry effluents, confer potentials of health hazards to users of the water.