Abstract
The status of Agboju, Ajegunle, Topo and Gbaji water bodies in Badagry Division of Lagos State, Nigeria was evaluated between April and November 2018 in order to determine the suitability of the ecosystem to biota and safety of the aquatic resources for human consumption. Some environmental variables such as alkalinity, temperature, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), conductivity, total dissolved solid (TDS), carbon (iv) oxide (CO<sub>2</sub>), total hardness, chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, phosphate, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, salinity, sulphate and nitrate, and some heavy metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Cr) in water, sediment, aquatic plant (<i>Eichhornia crassipes</i>) and fish (<i>Ethmalosa fimbriata</i>) were measured using standard procedures. The results showed that BOD, COD, total hardness and turbidity values were above the standard permissible limits. Cd in water column of Agboju and Ajegunle, and Pb recorded from Agboju, Ajegunle and Topo, exceeded standard permissible limit. Cu (0.56±0.54), Zn (5.45±0.89), Pb (0.54±0.47) and Cr (0.455±0.375) contents in <i>E. fimbriata</i> (from Ajegunle) was slightly above permissible limits while Cd and Fe contents in the fish across the four stations were above permissible limits. Contamination factor, Index of geochemical accumulation and enrichment factor showed moderate degree of contamination of cadmium and Fe in the sediment. This preliminary study could be concluded that the biota can still survive in the ecosystems despite high contamination of the water bodies with metals. However, human consumption of several of <i>E. fimbriata</i> and water could cause health hazard. Therefore, urgent effort should be made by all users of the ecosystem to decline in discharging untreated waste into these water bodies.
Highlights
Productivity and sustainability of water are usually known by the physicochemical properties of water quality
This study examined the physicochemical properties and concentrations of some heavy metals in water column, sediment, Eichhornia crassipes and Ethmalosa fimbriata from four aquatic ecosystems (Agboju, Gbaji, Topo and Ajegunle) within Badagry Division of Lagos State, Nigeria with a view to determine the suitability and safety of the biota in the water bodies as well as their safety for consumption
Gbaji had the highest value of alkalinity (38.44±6.96 mg/L) and total dissolved solid (TDS, 135.89±28.74mg/L) but lowest values in conductivity (220.27±30.97 μs/cm), total hardness (191.45±10.89mg/L), Chemical oxygen demand (COD, 166.21±20.93mg/L) and turbidity (39.35±6.26 NTU)
Summary
Productivity and sustainability of water are usually known by the physicochemical properties of water quality. Due to indiscriminate release of wastes, physico-chemical characteristics of water do changes and this could cause hazard effect to flora and fauna of the aquatic ecosystem. Waters contain some impurities such as metals whose nature and amount vary with source. Some trace metals like copper, zinc, cobalt, iron, and manganese are essential nutrients to plants at very low concentrations. High concentrations of these metals are potential toxins to many biological systems. Reports have shown that high level of pollution with heavy metals result from terrigenous activities, atmospheric precipitation, industrial discharge or domestic sewage and non-point source run-off [1]. The hazard of an environmental chemical is a function of its environmental persistence, toxicity, and bio-accumulative potential. Heavy metals are considered hazardous due to its persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity features.
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