Physiochemical characteristics and environmental impact of effluent wastes from promotex industries

Thesis Abstract

For a total period of four months, effluent, water and soil samples were collected on a monthly basis from an industrial area in Nnewi in Anambra State in order to determine their constituents. A total of twenty six parameters were analyzed for effluents and water, while a total of fourteen parameters were analyzed for soil. The result showed that effluents from the industry (Promotex) contained a number of contaminants which contaminate the soil and nearby river. Correlation technique was used to determine the degree of relationship between nitrate content and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) values of the effluents and water; and to determine the degree of relationship between the pH values and the Arsenic content of the soil. There was a generally low negative correlation for all the months for the effluents(-0.58,-0.07,-0.09,and 0.47 respectively for July, August, September and October) and soil (-0.03,-0.66.and- 0.54 for July, August and October respectively) except for the month of September (0.06) that had a very low positive correlation between the pH and Conductivity values of the soil. The student t-test with N+ N- 2 degree of freedom was used to test for the null hypothesis that there is no significance difference between the Alkalinity and Chloride contents of the effluents and water. The environmental implications established that Ele River as well as the soil in the area is polluted at varying levels by effluents from the industry and surrounding environment.