Bioscience Methods 2018, Vol.9, No.1, 1-11
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2.2 Salinity
The salinity level of the water was 0.03 mg/l. There was no significant variation (P>0.05) among the various
locations (Table 1). No significant variation in the various locations suggested that the water quality is uniform
with regard to freshness (Ben-Eledo et al., 2017). The values reported in this study is lower compared to the value
of 0.12-2.58 mg/l from Epie creek (Ben-Eledo et al., 2017), and had some similarity with the reports from Kolo
creek (0.03-0.04‰) (Aghoghovwia and Ohimain, 2015; Ogamba et al., 2015a), Ikoli creek (0.01-0.03 mg/l)
(Ogamba et al., 2015b), Nun river at Amassoma axis (0.000-0.050 mg/l) (Agedah et al., 2015; Ogamba et al.,
2015c), The similarity suggests that the water is homogenous i.e. fresh water (Ben-Eledo et al., 2017).
2.3 Conductivity
The conductivity of the water samples ranged from 59.70-71.65 µS/cm, being significant different among the
various locations (Table 1). Conductivity showed positive significant correlation with turbidity, total dissolved
solid and total suspended solid at P<0.01, and negatively correlate with nitrate, sulphate, total hardness, calcium
and magnesium at P<0.01 (Table 2). The significant variation suggests unevenness in the anthropogenic activities
level of the water. The values reported in the study is lower compared to the value of 265.00-1096.75 µS/cm (Epie
creek) (Ben-Eledo et al., 2017), 87-95 umhos/cm (Tombia bridge construction area) (Seiyaboh et al., 2013a),
82.30-102.00 µS/cm (Kolo creek) (Aghoghovwia and Ohimain, 2014), but had some similarity with the values of
64.91-97.41 umhos/cm (Igbedi creek) (Seiyaboh et al., 2013b), 57.3-105.0 µS/cm (Ikoli creek) (Ogamba et al.,
2015b), 33.167-68.00 µS/cm (Nun river at Amassoma axis) (Agedah et al., 2015; Ogamba et al., 2015c),
47.73-89.33 µS/cm (Epie creek) (Izonfuo and Bariweni, 2001), 58.00 µS/cm (Taylor creek) (Daka et al., 2014),
and higher than the value of 31.60-39.167 µS/cm (Kolo creek) (Ogamba et al., 2015a). The conductivity level in
the water provides information about the total concentration of the ionic solutes (Ogamba et al., 2015c; Ben-Eledo
et al., 2017). Based on standards for drinking water, the conductivity is within Nigeria Drinking water standards
(Table 3).
Table 3 Physicochemical characteristics of Nun River at Gbarantoru and Tombia axis in Bayelsa state Nigeria in comparison with
standard limits
Parameters
Mean± Standard deviation (n=9) NDWQ (SON 2007)
WHO
pH
6.35±0.08
6.5 – 8.5
6.5 – 8.5
Salinity (mg/l)
0.03±0.01
-
-
Conductivity (µS/cm)
66.69±5.40
1000
1000
Turbidity (NTU)
18.74±0.22
5
-
Total Dissolved Solid (mg/l)
33.34±2.71
500
500
Total Suspended Solid (mg/l)
2.06±0.08
-
500
Total Alkalinity (mg/l)
14.70±0.99
-
20
Total Hardness (mg/l)
22.58±0.58
150
800
Nitrate (mg/l)
0.27±0.07
50
<50
Chloride (mg/l)
12.28±1.55
250
<250
Sulphate (mg/l)
2.22±0.33
100
<250
Calcium (mg/l)
7.98±1.01
-
<1000
Magnesium(mg/l)
2.49±0.55
0.2
<220
Sodium (mg/l)
4.31±0.59
200
-
Potassium (mg/l)
1.31±0.13
-
-
Bicarbonate (mg/l)
1.14±0.30
-
-
Dissolved oxygen (mg/l)
6.31±0.33
-
-
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (mg/l)
153.10±3.69
-
-
2.4 Turbidity
The turbidity level in the water samples ranged from 18.52-18.99 NTU, being not significantly different (P>0.05)
among the different locations except for Location C. Turbidity showed positive significant relationship with total
dissolved solid and total suspended solid at P<0.01, and negatively correlate with nitrate, chloride, sulphate, total
hardness, calcium and magnesium at P<0.01 (Table 2). The variation among the different locations suggests
