ASSESSMENT OF SLAUGHTER HOUSE WASTE IMPACTS ON THE DRY SEASON PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF AKU STREAM

¹Christopher U. Okoronkwo, ²Patrick A. Ogwo and ¹Nwachukwu O. Ndubuisi 

¹Department of Microbiology

²Department of Environmental Resource Management

^1&2Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria.

E-mail pfaikon78@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The effects of slaughter house waste on the physico-chemical content of Aku stream was studied by collecting triplicate samples from the five designated sampling stations and 150 meters apart from each stations. The mean values of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) (7.23mg/L), Hardness (28.43mg/L), SO₄² (407 mg/L), NO₃ (575mg/L), Ca²⁺ (46.30mg/L), K⁺ (214.81mg/L), Zinc (6.48mg/L), pH (6.23), Total solids (0.13mg/L) were consistently higher than the values obtained from downstream and upstream sampling points. The same trend continued from temperature (29⁰C), Mg⁺ (2.19 mg/L), Cu (0.12mg/L). Two-way analysis of variance show significant difference in the five stations sampled at 5% level (P<0.05). The parameters analyzed did not fall into the World Health Organization standard of drinking water quality. Therefore, Lokpanta and its environs should be provided with alternative source of drinking water.