Epublic Health Significance of Nutrients, Heavy Metal and Total Heterotrophic Bacteria Interaction in Water Bodies in Port Harcourt and Its Environs (Published)
Water is an essential commodity for all living things. It is an inorganic compound that can exist in solid, liquid and gaseous state under normal condition. The quality of any water body depends on certain factors such as the absence and or very neglectable amount of Total Heterotrophic bacteria count, heavy metal including physicochemical parameters among others. This study was carried during the dry season of 2021, and accounts for groundwater, surface and well water in Abuloma, Borikiri, Eagle-Island, Fimie, Macoba-Isaka, Ruekini and Rumuokoro respectively. Water samples were collected in 10ml sterile containers and labeled appropriately. Sample for the River was collected at the pelegial level stoppered while submerged. Sample from the boreholes and hand-dogged wells were collected in line with the American Public Health Association (APHA, 2107). The samples for the determination of heavy metal contents were fixed with 2 drops of concentrated trioxonitrate (V) acid (HNO3) while that for microbial analysis were preserved in ice chests to inhibit the activity of microbes and were sent to the laboratory for further analysis. Results indicated that the nutrients (NO3–, SO43- and PO42-) values appeared insignificant (i.e., values are within the acceptable levels) when compared with European Union guidelines for water consumption except PO42- for well water at Rumuekini and Rumuokoro respectively. The THBC factor was high in Abuloma for all the nutrients in surface water. Also, in well water, at Eagle-Island, Pb appeared elevated above the European Union standard for drinking water quality. Thus, it is recommended that well water from Eagle-Island be treated (i.e., the removal of Pb) to ensure it quality and safety for human consumption.
Keywords: Heavy Metal, Nutrients, Toal heterotrophic bacteria, public health
Variation of the Physico-Chemical Parameters, Nutrients and Some Selected Heavy Metals Around the Waters of the Tincan Island in Lagos, Nigeria (Published)
This study assessed the physico-chemical characteristics, concentration of heavy metals and nutrients composition of the surface water of Badagry and Tincan Island creeks adjoining the Lagos Lagoon. Sanplind was done once in a month between May and September 2019. The pH, Temperature, Salinity, Conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids, Total Suspended Solids, Dissolved Oxygen, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Sulphate, Phosphate, Silicate, Nitrate, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Lead, Cadmium, Manganese, Chromium and Nickel were determined usuing statndard methods. there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the different parameters recocorded in the stations and the months. The DO (0.36 mg/L- 5.47mg/L) was lower than the WHO recommended 5mg/L for water quality assessment with a significant difference (p<0.05) recorded across the stations and months. The BOD values varied significantly across all the stations and the months with up to 211mg/L in station 1 in September thus depicting a severe deterioration of the creek. The concentrations of the heavy metals in the water samples were within the safe limit but posits potential human and fisheries health implications from continuous usage.
Keywords: Heavy Metals, Nutrients, Pollution, creeks, physicochemical parameters