Assessment of water quality of the Ogu Creek impacted by seaport activities in Onne, near Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Date
2015-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Abstract
The physicochemical parameters of the Ogu Creek serving the Onne Port of the Nigerian Ports Authority in Port Harcourt, which is impacted by Port transport activities were investigated in September 2011 at 6 sampling points. In situ measurements were made for water temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, and conductivity using HORIBA U-10 Water Quality Checker and for total dissolved solids (TDS) with HACH conductivity/TDS meter. Other parameters were determined using standard methods of APHA. Water samples were collected in replicates with 2 litres plastic containers and transferred to the laboratory in iced-coolers for analysis. The test of homogeneity in mean variance was used to determine spatial variation in the physicochemical variables, and the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) used to explore the interrelationship existing between the parameters. Mean parameters were observed as follows: temperature 28.25 ± 0.12 °C, pH 6.02 ± 0.20, salinity 36.32 ± 0.12 ‰, DO 3.38 ± 0.14 mg/L, BOD 1.74 ± 0.21 mg/L, TSS 25.05 ± 2.45 mg/L, TDS 53.60 ± 5.75 mg/L, turbidity 81.23 ± 5.22 NTU, alkalinity 17.92 ± 1.61 mg/L, conductivity 1815.00 ± 238.24 µS/cm, total petroleum hydrocarbons 2.10 ± 0.15 mg/L, NO3-3.62 ± 0.36 mg/L, PO42-2.59 ± 0.38 mg/L, SO4 2-78.07 ±8.70 mg/L, Cl95.55 ± 16.66 mg/L, Al 0.95 ± 0.08 mg/L, Cd 0.022 ± 0.011 mg/L, Cr 0.05 ± 0.01mg/L, Cu 0.08 ± 0.01 mg/L, Fe 2.67 ± 0.38 mg/L and Pb 0.030 ± 0.009 mg/L. The lower ranges of pH, the upper ranges of Al and Fe, and Cd and Cu levels were outside permissible limits of the Federal Ministry of Environment for aquatic life. The control sampling location recorded highest concentrations in several of the variables, even as there was marked spatial heterogeneity [F(8.41)<Fcrit(3.88)] at P<0.05, with conductivity being most responsible for the observed difference. TDS correlated positively with NO3-(r=0.883) and PO4 2-(r=0.881), and conductivity with SO42-(r=0.825) at P<0.05, while TDS correlated with turbidity (r=0.923), and conductivity with NO3-ion (r=0.928) at P<0.01. However, pH correlated negatively with Cu ions (r=-0.946) at P<0.01. It is recommended that environmental regulatory agencies should enforce laws and standards in order to save the Port from further pollution.
Description
This thesis is for the award of Master of Technology Degree (M.TECH) in Environmental Technology
Keywords
Ogu Creek, Nigerian Ports, pollution, water quality, environmental regulation, Department of Environmental Technology
Citation
Agbonikhena, A. N. (2015). Assessment of water quality of the Ogu Creek impacted by seaport activities in Onne, near Port Harcourt, Rivers State (Unpublished Masters Thesis). Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria