Physicochemical Properties of Tagangu Seasonal River Receiving Abattoir Wastewater Discharge, Aliero, Kebbi State, Nigeria

The physicochemical parameters of the thirty water samples collected at the point of discharge of abattoir wastewater as site A (upstream), site B (downstream) and site C (the irrigation space) of the seasonal River Tagangu were analyzed. The parameters tested include: pH, temperature, turbidity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), nitrate, sulphate, phosphate and ammonium. All the parameters were tested following the standard procedures. The pH values obtained ranged from 6.5–7.9; suggestive of suitability of the water for bacterial growth. The temperature values ranged from 21.2–31.2oC; falling within the WHO standard. The turbidity of the water samples ranged from 520–627 NTU, which are exceedingly higher than WHO limit. The conductivity of the water samples ranged from 42.9–624.0 mS/cm; values were far higher than 400.0 mS/cm of WHO standard. The dissolved oxygen (DO) measured between 6.9-19.0 mg/l; which is also greater than WHO standard (6.0 mg/l). Biological oxygen demand (BOD) measured between 312–527.9 mg/l; greater than WHO threshold of 10.0 mg/l. The nitrate contents varied between 39.2–72.3 mg/l; greater than WHO standard (10 mg/l). The sulphate values varied between 45.6–93.9 mg/l; falling within the WHO threshold. However, values greater than 10 mg/l, suggests that the water has been polluted. The phosphate contents observed ranged from 0.435–0.849 mg/l across the three sites, values were higher than 0.3 mg/l of WHO standard. The ammonia contents of the water samples ranged from 27.7–948.5 mg/l; far greater than 0.5 mg/l of WHO standard. The physicochemical study across the three (3) sites shows the typical pollution of the river and rendered the quality of the water hazardous to humans, animals and aquatic lives that could be the users of the water.