Assessment of the impact of abattoir effluent on the physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of the Effurun River, Effurun and Eburu Canal, Warri in Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

Water is said to be polluted when it is impaired by anthropogenic contaminants and natural phenomena. An assessment of the impact of effluent from the Effurun market abattoir and Eburu abattoir on the physico-chemical parameters of the Effurun River, Effurun and Eburu canal, Warri, Delta State was carried out from July to December 2015 at three designated stations: station 1 (Upstream of effluent discharge point), station 2 (Effluent discharge point) and station 3 (Downstream of effluent discharge point). In the Effurun River, analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant spatial variation (P<0.05) in electrical conductivity, salinity, BOD5 (Biological Oxygen Demand), COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), TSS (Total Suspended Solids), PO4 (Phosphate), TS (Total Solids), and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) while in Eburu canal, significant spatial variation (P<0.05) was observed in salinity, BOD5, TS, TDS and TSS. A posteriori test using the Duncan Multiple Range (DMR) test revealed that these indicator parameters were significantly higher in station 2 than in the other stations of the Effurun River and Eburu canal. The values of fecal coliform count and total coliform count increased from station 1 to station 2 and slightly decreased in station 3 in the Effurun River and Eburu canal respectively. Chi-square goodness of fit showed significant difference (P<0.001) in station 2. Both water bodies showed very low recovery capacities (less than 50%). The current water quality status of both water bodies from the discharge of abattoir effluents poses environmental and health problems to the end users. Most of the parameters exceeded the regulatory limits hence the need to treat waste before discharging into the ecosystem.