Physical and Chemical Scrutiny of Obizi River in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria for Domestic Consumption

Abstract

The Obizi River in the Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State was examined physically and chemically to evaluate its contamination level and suitability for home use. It is important for recreational, fishing, cooking, drinking, and other applications. Its typical applications for drinking, cooking, fishing, recreational activities and other uses are limited since it flows through a canal that might be contaminated by industrial, agricultural, and other human activities. Nitrate mg/l, nitrite mg/l, magnesium mg/l, zinc mg/l, total dissolved solid (TDS) mg/l, hardness mg/l, sulphate mg/l, phosphate mg/l, alkalinity mg/l, acidity mg/l, sodium mg/l, biological oxygen demand (BOD) mg/l, chemical oxygen demand (COD) mg/l, total suspended solid (TSS) mg/l, TS mg/l, oxygen demand (OD) mg/l, and potassium mg/l are among the parameters that were evaluated. Total dissolved solids (TSS) were calculated as the difference between total solids and total dissolved solids. The zinc and nitrate elements within the samples were measured using the ultraviolet (UV) VIS spectrophotometric method. Sulphate was determined turbidimetrically by the absorption spectrophotometry. Magnesium content, total hardness, and alkalinity were measured through titration. TDS (mg/L) was measured with a Multi-Meter (HI 991300, Hanna Equipments, Romania), potassium and sodium ions were assessed by flame photometric technique, chemical oxygen demand (COD) was identified photometrically using the SpectroQuant Nova 60 COD cell test (Merck) in the range of 10 – 150 mg/L. Biological oxygen demand (BOD) was determined using the OxiDirect BOD system and total suspended solids (TSS) was calculated as the difference between total solids and total dissolved solids. Phosphates were measured using the ascorbic acid method, total solids were estimated gravimetrically, and oxygen demand (OD) was measured on-site using a dissolved oxygen meter JENWAY-3405 (Manufacturer: Barloworld Scientific Ltd., England). To find out if the results were significant or not, the parameters were subjected to an ANOVA single factor analysis. The analysis's conclusion was that the data were statistically not significant. Since nitrate and OD were above the World Health Organization's (WHO) limit while most other physicochemical parameters were below it, the ANOVA result showed that there was no significant difference between the physicochemical characteristics of the water samples. With the exception of nitrite and OD, which are above the WHO limit for domestic drinking water and other purposes, it was discovered that the majority of the physicochemical parameters fell within the organization's water quality standards for these purposes. As a result, the water quality is not good and should not be drunk unless treated.