ANALYSIS OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL STATUS OF OBIO AKPA RIVER IN ORUK ANAM NIGERIA

A comprehensive assessment of the physicochemical and anionic parameters of water samples collected from Idim Okpok Site and a swimming pool was conducted using standard analytical method. Results obtained revealed that at Idim Okpok Site X1, the values obtained were temperature (26.10 ± 0.000 °C), pH (6.00 ± 0.001), EC (32.38 ± 0.002 µS/cm), salinity (0.00 ± 0.00%), acidity (46.00 ± 0.002 mg/L), alkalinity (34.50 ± 0.003 mg/L), dissolved oxygen (10.65 ± 0.001 mg/L), biochemical oxygen demand (5.10 ± 0.002 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (42.14 ± 0.003 mg/L), TDS (16.40 ± 0.002 mg/L), total suspended solids (12.80 ± 0.001 mg/L), and total hardness (38.00 ± 0.003 mg/L). Anionic levels recorded at X1 were nitrate (22.46 ± 0.004 mg/L), phosphate (16.15 ± 0.003 mg/L), sulphate (20.42 ± 0.003 mg/L), and chloride (16.30 ± 0.002 mg/L). At the swimming pool (X2), measured physicochemical parameters included temperature (26.30 ± 0.001 °C), pH (5.90 ± 0.000), electrical conductivity (30.11 ± 0.001 µS/cm), salinity (0.00 ± 0.00%), acidity (42.50 ± 0.003 mg/L), alkalinity (38.20 ± 0.004 mg/L), dissolved oxygen (11.96 ± 0.002 mg/L), biochemical oxygen demand (6.10 ± 0.002 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (40.28 ± 0.003 mg/L), TDS (14.84 ± 0.001 mg/L), total suspended solids (10.50 ± 0.002 mg/L), and total hardness (36.13 ± 0.003 mg/L). Anionic concentrations in site X2 were nitrate (25.00 ± 0.012 mg/L), phosphate (18.22 ± 0.010 mg/L), sulphate (16.43 ± 0.005 mg/L), and chloride (16.43 ± 0.011 mg/L). Like X1, most of the values obtained were within acceptable standards, but low pH along with elevated BOD, COD, and phosphate levels indicate some degree of pollution that needs attention.