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Physicochemical properties of water quality of Imeh, Edegelem and Chokocho communities located along Otamiri-oche River in Etche Ethnic Nationality of Rivers State, Nigeria
ONYEGEME-OKERENTA, B. M.; OBIA, C. & WEGWU, M. O.
Abstract
Some physiochemical properties of water quality of Otamiri-oche River which
runs through Imeh, Edegelem and Chokocho Communities in Etche ethnic nationality of Rivers
State, Nigeria were investigated. Samples were collected in triplicate from the three different
locations along the river in both rainy and dry seasons. Each sampling points is located 500m
away from the successive one, and the samples were taken from the open river at the zone
extending beyond the shoreline. Samples were stored in ice packs and immediately taken to the
laboratory to investigate some selected physico-chemical characteristics. Also, bacteriological
study was carried out on the samples. The laboratory results of the selected physico-chemical
parameters when compared with the world health organization (WHO) standard showed that all
the selected physico-chemical parameters were within the world health organization (WHO)
permissible in both rainy and dry season except pH. For rainy season, the pH values were
5.00±0.00, 5.40 ±0.40, and 5.40± 0.30 for Imeh, Edegelem and Chokocho respectively. For the
dry season, the pH values were 5.83± 0.01, 5.56±0.01, 5.90±0.01 for Imeh, Edegelem and
Chokocho respectively. Also magnesium hardness exceeded the World Health Organization
(WHO) permissible limit in rainy season only. The results of bacteriological study showed that
all the sampling locations contained high numbers of coliform bacteria in both rainy and dry
seasons. The number of coliform bacteria during rainy season was 25.00±0.00, 25.00±0.00, and
35.00±0.00 for Imeh, Edegelem and Chokocho respectively. Those of dry season were
93.00±3.55, 56.66±4.49, and 35.60±4.17 for Imeh, Edegelem and Chokocho respectively. The
difference between the rainy and dry season was tested statistically using the t-test. The results
of the statistical analyses showed a significant difference (p<0.05) between the rainy and dry
seasons.
Keywords
River; physico-chemical parameters; pH; rainy and dry seasons
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