Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Effluents from Garri Processing Industries in Bida, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

Effluent and soil samples were collected from five different garri processing industries in Bida and analysed for conductivity, pH, temperature, alkalinity, total hardness, dissolved oxygen, total suspended solids, total solids, nitrate, sulphate, chloride, sodium, potassium, calcium, cyanide ion, chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand using standard methods. Soil samples were obtained five metres away from each discharge point. Results obtained from Efumadami discharge point showed that pH, BOD₅, COD, conductivity, total solids, suspended solid had the highest values of 4.0, 618ppm, 400ppm, 61μs/cm, 700ppm and 315ppm respectively while those from Efumayaki has the lowest values of 4.3, 513ppm 120ppm, 50μs/cm, 420ppm and 183ppm respectively. Most of the ions tested for in the soil samples increased as the depth of collection increased. The soil and effluent samples were observed to be grossly polluted with cyanide ion. The effluent samples contained 0.29-0.5ppm cyanide ion while those of soil samples is 0.3-0.62ppm all in contrast to World Health Organization maximum admissible limit of 0.07ppm. A twoway ANOVA showed that as the depth of collection of soil samples increased, cyanide concentration also increased.

Keywords: Effluent, Garri, Industries, WHO, ANOVA