Effect of Industrial Effluents on Water and Soil Qualities in Nnewi, Nigeria

Abstract

Nnewi is the commercial nerve center and the most highly industrialized city east of the River Niger in Anambra State of Nigeria, West Africa. The industries specialize in manufacturing automobile batteries and accessories, electrical cables, agro-allied products and sundry items. One major problem in Nnewi is the lack or total absence of legal facilities authorized to dispose of industrial waste. We have investigated the impact of chemicals arising from industries on water and soil qualities in Nnewi. Higher levels of iron. copper, lead and manganese were found in the deep than in the top soil. Soil samples from battery manufacturing industries had the highest levels of manganese (3617ppm) and 664ppm of lead while soil samples from vegetable oil industry showed the highest level of lead (746ppm). The pH of the soil ranged from 3.5-6.4. River Ele had a higher level of lead (192.5ppm) at the source than in the middle and lower courses which had 25ppm each. The total hardness, salinity and biological oxygen demand of River Ele ranged from 14-35mg / l, 121.6-211.2mg / l and 1.9-2.7mg, respectively, from source to lower course. The highest level of volatile and non-volatile solids was 1.6 and 1.0mg, respectively. There was an absence of live or dead macro-organisms along the course of the river. Since there were elevated soil lead levels from most of the industrial sites which could have a public health impact, we recommend a control measure to reduce lead exposure to adjoining communities.