Sylvester Chibueze Izah , Odion David Umoru , Ogaga Augustine Aghoghovwia

1 Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
2 Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Author    Correspondence author
Bioscience Methods, 2018, Vol. 9, No. 1   doi: 10.5376/bm.2018.09.0001
Received: 27 Apr., 2018    Accepted: 31 May, 2018    Published: 29 Jun., 2018

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Aghoghovwia O.A., Umoru O.D., and Izah S.C., 2018, Physicochemical characteristics of nun river at Gbarantoru and Tombia Axis in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, Bioscience Methods, 9(1): 1-11 (doi: 10.5376/bm.2018.09.0001)

 

Nun River is a major surface water resource that has its origin from River Niger. In Bayelsa state, the river and its tributaries are major recipient effects due to varying effects of anthropogenic activities on the water ways. This study assessed the physicochemical quality of Nun River at Gbarantoru andTombia town axis in Bayelsa state. Triplicate water samples were collected from 3 locations (viz: A-oil and gas installations, B-Gbarantoru and C-Tombia town). The water samples were analyzed following standard procedures. Results were in the range of 6.27-6.45 pH, 0.03 mg/l Salinity, 59.70-71.65 µS/cm conductivity, 18.52-18.99 NTU turbidity, 29.83-35.83 mg/l total dissolved solid, 1.96-2.13 mg/l total suspended solid, 13.40-15.50 mg/l total alkalinity, 22.20-23.30 mg/l total hardness, 0.97-1.43 bicarbonate, 1.79-2.53 mg/l sulphate, 0.18-0.35 mg/l nitrate, 11.10-14.33 mg/l chloride, 5.96-6.71 mg/l dissolved oxygen, 148.80-157.13 mg/l biological oxygen demand, 7.05-9.20 mg/l calcium, 1.92-3.17 mg/l magnesium, 3.55-4.84 mg/l sodium, 1.17-1.38 potassium. There was significant variation (P<0.05) among the various locations for each of the parameters except for salinity, turbidity and bicarbonate. The water quality parameters under study were within Nigerian Drinking water quality and World Health Organization standard except for turbidity, pH and magnesium. As such, the water requires treatment prior for utilization for domestic purposes.

 

Contamination; Health effects; Nun River; Potability; Water quality