Physicochemical Characteristics of Surface Water and Sediment of Silver River, Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Edori Onisogen Simeon,Kieri Ben Smith Idomo,Festus Chioma

doi:10.11648/j.ajese.20190302.12

Edori Onisogen Simeon, Kieri Ben Smith Idomo + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajese.20190302.12

Copy DOI

Abstract

Water and sediment samples were collected from Silver River to determine the levels of various physicochemical parameters in both sediment and water from the river. This research was conducted with the aim of determining the extent of deterioration of the river as a result of artisanal refining of crude oil. The result obtained showed that the mean values of the different parameters examined in the water were; conductivity (26,567±464.28 µS/cm), total dissolved solids (TDS), (13,250±187.08 mg/L), total suspended solids (TSS), (17.78±3.07 mg/L), turbidity (15.57±2.45 NTU), pH (7.12±0.03), salinity (8766.67±449.69 mg/L), total hydrocarbon content (THC) (45.43±3.86 mg/L), nitrates (NO3‑), (4.93±0.61 mg/L), sulphates (SO42‑) (1471.07±1058.43 mg/L), phosphates (PO43), (0.64±0.16 mg/L), dissolved oxygen (DO), (4.73±0.57 mg/L), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), (33.20±2.33 mg/L) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), (50.13±3.21 mg/L). Physicochemical parameters such as conductivity, TDS, salinity, THC, SO42‑, DO, BOD and COD fall below the standard requirement for domestic water consumption, while TSS, turbidity, pH, NO3‑ and PO43- were within the acceptable range for drinking water by WHO. The mean values of sediment physicochemical parameters were; pH (7.20±0.03), conductivity (16701.67±513.65 µS/cm), total organic carbon (TOC) (2.37±0.05%) and total organic matter (TOM) (4.09±0.09%). The particle size examination showed that clay was 7.33±1.25%, silt (14.67±1.25%) and sand (78.00±1.63%). The examined sediment nutrient species showed that the mean values were 0.51±0.01, 8.81±12.09 and 0.27±0.01mg/kg for NO3-, SO42‑ and PO43- respectively. The findings of this work showed that the silver river (both water and sediment) are under human influence which not handled in the immediate, can in the near future constitute a major health risk to the entire environment.

Highlights

The river system is the major source of fresh water
Water samples were collected with pre-rinsed plastic bottles below the water surface at a depth of about 20cm and corked immediately, while sediment samples were collected with plastic trowel and put into cellophane bags
The samples were ready for further processing for physicochemical analysis

Summary

Introduction

The river system is the major source of fresh water It carries along its course and tributaries a reasonable quantity or load of matter which are either in dissolved or particulate form. These may have originated from both natural and anthropogenic sources [1]. Rivers are known to play major roles in transportation of goods and services. They are involved in the transportation of wastes arising from both municipal, domestic and industrial wastes. Due to the incessant increase in population growth, which is accompanied with rapid urbanization and industrial activities, discharges of wastes into the aquatic environment is on the increase. Contaminants which originated from agricultural waste, factory discharge channels and

Methods

Results

Conclusion