IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

IIARD INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (IJGEM )

E-ISSN 2504-8821
P-ISSN 2695-1878
VOL. 10 NO. 4 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56201/ijgem.v10.no4.2024.pg48.59

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An Assessment of Surface Water and Sediment Quality from Elechi Creek, Rivers State, Nigeria

Omah, P. I., Daka, E.R., Ubong, I., Igwe, F.

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Abstract

The physicochemistry of surface water and sediment in Elechi creek was investigated to from four sampling stations which were sampled bimonthly for one year (June 2021 to April 2022). Surface water samples were collected following standard procedures. Parameters measured in situ include temperature, pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Electrical conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), while parameters measured in the laboratory include biological oxygen demand (BOD), Nitrate, sulphate and phosphate. Sediment samples were collected from the intertidal and analyzed in the laboratory for sulphate, phosphate and nitrate. The results showed that the monthly temperature varied from 25.7 (±0.03) o C in October to 29.4(±0.03) in April. Electrical conductivity ranged from 15260 (±1471µs/cm) in October to 30038 (±5645µs/cm) in June. Turbidity values were 1.00 (±0.5NTU) in February to 60.00 (±13.00NTU) in August while pH values varied from 7.00 ((±0.25) in June to 7.40 (±0.08) in August. Total dissolved solids ranged from 8375 (±316) in October to 19688 (±4452) in June. Dissolved oxygen (Do) concentration ranges from 3.33 (±0.07/mg/l) in October to 7.93 (±0.15mg/l) in June Biological Oxygen demand (BOD) ranges from 1.83 (±0.08mg/l in December to 3.05 (±1.73mg/l) in February and April. Sulphate varies from 588.00 (±52.30mg/l) in December to 683.00 (±20.53mg/l) in February. Phosphate varies from 1.5(±0.19mg/l) in October to 2.67 (±0.35mg/l) in June. No significant differences were observed in the mean values of the parameters except for nitrate and BOD, but there were significant temporal variations for most parameters. Anthropogenic activities may have led to some pollution which generally cut across all the study stations. It is recommended that enforcement measures should be carried out to discourage direct discharge of wastes into the Creek.

keywords:

Physicochemistry, Water, Sediment, Elechi Creek, Niger Delta, Nigeria.

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References:

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Amakiri, N. E. (2006). Aspects of the Biology of Pseudotolithus elongates (Bowdich, 1825) of
Bonny Estuary, Niger Delta. Nigeria, (Unpublished masters thesis). University of Science
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