Bioscience Methods 2018, Vol.9, No.1, 1-11
1
Research Article
Open Access
Physicochemical Characteristics of Nun River at Gbarantoru and Tombia Axis
in Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Ogaga Augustine Aghoghovwia
1
, Odion David Umoru
1
, Sylvester Chibueze Izah
2
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
Corresponding author email:
Bioscience Methods, 2018, Vol.9, No.1 doi:
Received: 27 Apr., 2018
Accepted: 31 May, 2018
Published: 29 Jun., 2018
Copyright © 2018
Aghoghovwia et al., 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.
Preferred citation for this article
:
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:
Abstract
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.
Keywords
Contamination; Health effects; Nun River; Potability; Water quality
Background
Water is an essential resource for the sustenance of life on earth (Izah and Ineyougha, 2015; Izah and Srivastav,
2015; Izah et al., 2016). As such, water is used for several purposes including drinking, washing, bathing, cooking,
cleaning by humans, while plants requires water for germination, growth and optimum productivity. Animals
require water for growth as well. Most importantly water is a habitat to several diversity of living organisms
including fisheries (fin and shelled), macrophytes (aquatic plants) and many other aquatic reptiles, mammals (Izah
and Srivastav, 2015).
Water typically exists in three forms including solid (ice), gaseous (vapour) and liquid form. Liquid form of water
is the most widely utilized and they exist in the surface water (marine, estuarine and freshwater), ground water,
rain water (Izah and Srivastav, 2015). Studies have widely indicated that over ⅔ of the earth surface is covered
with water. Most potable water resources are from surface fresh water, ground water (borehole) and rain water
(Izah and Srivastav, 2015).
In the Niger Delta, surface water abounds including marine, estuarine and freshwater. Nun river is a major surface
water in Bayelsa state that form several tributaries and are called several names at different locations including
creeks, creeklets, streams, rivers, rivulets. The rivers emptied into the ocean through the estuaries in Bayelsa state.
Several anthropogenic activities are carried out in the water and/ or close to the surface water resources in Bayelsa
state. Some of the activities including dredging (Seiyaboh et al., 2013a, b), boating, swimming, washing etc. The
water resources is major recipients of effluents that arise from run offs after downpour (Izonfuo and Bariweni,
2001; Ogamba et al., 2015a), wastes from abattoir/slaughterhouse (Ogamba et al., 2015b; Seiyaboh and Izah,
