Abstract
Physicochemical parameters could help to reduce or otherwise contribute to the growth and survival of plankton biotopes in the water bodies. This study investigated the physicochemical parameters and plankton biotopes of Ntawogba creek in Port Harcourt, River state. Water samples were collected from five stations representing upstream and downstream. Electrical conductivity (EC), pH, Dissolved oxygen (Do), Chemical oxygen demand (COD), Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), Nitrate, and Phosphate were determined under standard laboratory methods. Zooplankton and Phytoplankton abundance were also determined. Concentrations of Electrical Conductivity (Range=860.00µS/cm) and Chemical Oxygen Demand, (Range=31.80mg/L) varied widely, the other parameters had narrow variations. pH, EC and Phosphate ion concentrations varied from 7.06 – 8.27 (7.54±0.23), 395.00 – 1255.00 (722.40±160.47)µS/cm and 0.01 – 0.04 (0.03 ± 0.01)mg/L respectively. Nitrate ion concentrations varied from 0.63 – 5.34 (3.41 ± 0.77) mg/L while Dissolved Oxygen varied from 0.00 – 4.90 (2.92 ± 0.84) mg/L. BOD and COD ranged as follows: 2.80 - 22.70 (14.20 ± 4.21) mg/L and 4.50 – 36.30 (22.72 ± 6.74) mg/L respectively. Phytoplanktons recorded are as follows: Bacilariophytes (291 species), Euglenophytes (68 species) and cyanophyceae (139 species) while zooplanktons identified are protozoans (37 species), copepods (19 species), cladocera (462 species) and rotifers (100 species). This study therefore suggests high pollution impact occasioned by heavy municipal waste discharges and recommends that the government should evolve better solid and liquid waste management policies and practices. The government agencies should enforce all relevant environmental laws, standards and regulations as well as industry operators to treat industrial effluent before disposal into public drain.
Highlights
Rapid urbanization and population explosion in the cities have tremendously resulted to increase in solid waste generation
Ntawogba creek is located in Port Harcourt City, the stream lies between latitude 4°5’N and 5°00’N and Longitude 6°55’E and 7°00’’E. and an annual rainfall is about 2,500mm (Obianefo, 2006)
Wide variation was observed in the concentrations of Electrical Conductivity (EC) (Range=860.00μS/cm) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) (Range=31.80mg/L), while the other parameters had narrow variations. pH, Electrical conductivity (EC) and Phosphate ion concentrations varied from 7.06 – 8.27 (7.54±0.23) mg/L, 395.00 – 1255.00 (722.40±160.47)μS/cm and 0.01 – 0.04 (0.03 ± 0.01)mg/L respectively. (Table 2)
Summary
Rapid urbanization and population explosion in the cities have tremendously resulted to increase in solid waste generation. This in addition to poor waste management has left an unbearable stress on the environment causing degradation and degeneration of its physical, chemical and biological components such as water, air, land and general aesthetics. Unhealthy waste management practices such as direct introduction of untreated spent oil, solid and liquid waste into the creek have greatly affected its physical, chemical and biological quality. This necessitated the need to investigate the physicochemical and bacteriological characteristics of the water body
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