Seasonal Measurement of Water Quality in River Amba, Nasarawa State, North Central, Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VII, Issue X, October 2020 | ISSN 2321–2705

Seasonal Measurement of Water Quality in River Amba, Nasarawa State, North Central, Nigeria

Ajegena, Yakubu Sunday*, Emgba, Samuel Kafu, Atara, Joseph Galadima

Department Of Science Laboratory Technology, Isa Mustapha Agwai 1 Polytechnic, Pmb 109 Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
Corresponding Author*

ABSTRACT
This study is aimed at seasonal measurement of trace metals and physicochemical parameters of River Amba, Nasarawa State, North Central, Nigeria. The water data were collected during 2019 to 2020 from 3 sampling points distributed along the river. The physicochemical parameters analysed are pH, alkalinity, temperature, BOD, COD, conductivity and TDS. While, the trace metals in Mg/L are Pb, Cd, Zn, Mn, Fe and Cr. Trace metals during dry season ranges from 0.55 to 0.64, 0.41 to 0.45, 2.00 to 2.02, 0.20 to 0.22, 0.48 to 0.50 and 0.17 to 0.19 respectively. While during wet season, it ranges from 0.65 to 0.72, 0.55 to 0.65, 2.03 to 2.05, 0.22 to 0.25, 0.50 to 0.57 and 0.30 to 0.33 in that order. the result revealed that the mean concentrations of trace metals were above the permissive WHO/EU standards except for Mn and Zn in all the water samples irrespective of the season. Consequently, the physicochemical parameters analysed during wet and dry season are within the WHO recommended standard with exception of COD and BOD. The results indicate that seasonal change did not bring significant alteration in the parameters analyzed. In order to reduce the trace metals, laws should be enacted by the Governments to regulate the activities that take place in the river.

KEYWORDS: Trace metals, physicochemical parameters, water quality, River Amba, seasonal measurement

INTRODUCTION
The earth is covered by 70% of water and regrettably only 1% is a source of drinking. The main reasons for which water is domestically needed include drinking, bathing, cooking, and laundry [1]. However, rivers such as river Amba are not only used for domestic purposes but for recreation and irrigation, which is very important to man [2]. Heavy metals being a non-biodegradable and unrelenting environmental pollutant, may be dumped on the surface by human activities thus get the water polluted [3-4]. It is noteworthy to know that some of these heavy metals are important part of our diet, as trace elements while others are toxic [5]. Study revealed that Copper (Cu), Cobalt (Co), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo), Selenium (Se) and Zinc (Zn) are good source of diet to both plants and animals while

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