Health implications of stream water contamination by industrial effluents in the Onitsha urban area of Southeastern Nigeria

Nigeria has abundant surface and ground water resources many of which are polluted and can be detrimental to human health when consumed. This study investigated the effects of effluents discharged by industries into streams on the health of people who depend on stream water for domestic purposes in...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:Journal of water and land development 2021-02, p.105-114
Hauptverfasser: Okafor, Uchenna P., Obeta, Michael C., Ayadiuno, Romanus U., Onyekwelu, Anthony C., Asuoha, Godson C., Eze, Eberechukwu J., Orji-Okafor, Chetachi E., Igboeli, Emeka E.
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng ; pol
Online-Zugang:Volltext
Tags: Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Nigeria has abundant surface and ground water resources many of which are polluted and can be detrimental to human health when consumed. This study investigated the effects of effluents discharged by industries into streams on the health of people who depend on stream water for domestic purposes in the Onitsha urban area of eastern Nigeria. Water samples collected from eleven discharge locations underwent physico-chemical and microbiological analyses. Data on the effects of industrial effluents on health were obtained from records in the public hospitals located in Onitsha as well as through ques-tionnaire surveys and field observations. The results of the analyses revealed that the effluents grossly degrade surface wa-ter bodies; several parameters (temperature, iron, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, lead, magnesium, total heterotrophic counts, total coliform group, pH) had values which were higher than the WHO (2011) safety limits for drinking water. The contamination of investigated streams by effluents had negative impact on the health of stream users. The discussion included health effects of polluted water and the prevalence of water borne or related diseases in the area. Implications of these findings were also discussed. Management measures capable of minimiz-ing contamination of surface water in the study area were suggested.
ISSN:2083-4535
2083-4535
DOI:10.24425/jwld.2021.136153