Toxicological study of the Anam River in Otuocha, Anambra State, Nigeria.
The authors studied the quality of water and soil samples from the Anam River in Nigeria. Using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, they analyzed levels of lead, cadmium, copper, and nickel. They also analyzed sulfates, nitrates, biological oxygen demand, total hardness, total dissolved solids, pH values, electrical conductivity, chloride, and salinity. The ranges of detected metals were 0.002-0.005 mg/L for cadmium, 0.008-0.016 mg/L for lead, and 0.580-1.345 mg/L for copper. In the soil samples, the authors detected cadmium (0.07-3.45 ppm), copper (4.38-13.54 ppm), lead (0.59-7.34 ppm), and nickel (0.36-5.64 ppm). The mean values of the chemical parameters were 11.34 +/- 1.20 mg/L for total hardness, 4.43 +/- 1.54 mg/L for biological oxygen demand, 20.00 +/- 0.00 mg/L for total dissolved solids, and 0.22 +/- 0.05 mg/L for nitrates. Chloride, salinity, electrical conductivity, and pH values were 8.00 +/- 1.73 mg/L, 14.44 +/- 3.13 mg/L, 19.33 +/- 0.67 ps cm-L, and 7.09 +/- 0.05, respectively. The World Health Organization guidelines for the parameters in soil were exceeded.
Igwilo
Innocent O
IO
Department of Applied Biochemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
Afonne
Onyenmechi Johnson
OJ
Maduabuchi
Ugwuona John-Moses
UJ
Orisakwe
Orish Ebere
OE
D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D002712:Chlorides / Q000032:analysis; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D009549:Nigeria; D009566:Nitrates / Q000633:toxicity; D010865:Pilot Projects; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D013431:Sulfates / Q000032:analysis; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
D002712:Chlorides; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D009566:Nitrates; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D013431:Sulfates; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper