Evaluation of some physico-chemical parameters of River Niger at Cable Point, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria

The regular monitoring of the physico-chemical properties of river and its quality for aquatic flora and fauna is of immense significance and it suitability for human use cannot be overemphasized. This study investigated the physico-chemical properties of the River Niger at Cable Point in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria. Three sampling Stations: 1 (Marine), 2 (Nnebisi) and 3 (Onishe) where established. Water samples were collected monthly between the hours of 7.00 to 8.00 am for 12months (May, 2023 to April, 2024) using standard laboratory procedure. The collected samples were analyzed for some parameters such as: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC), biological oxygen demand (BOD), calcium and magnesium following standard methods. Results showed that temperature value ranged from 28.55 °C in Station 2 to 29.50 °C in Station 3, pH values were 6.70 and 8.57 in Stations 1 and 2 respectively, iron (0.07 to 0.43 mg/l) and nitrates (1.14 to 1.83 mg/l) were not significantly (p > 0.05) different across stations. Other parameters: EC (61.11 and 129.92 µS/cm in Stations 1 and 2), DO (5.43 and 11.82 mg/l in Stations 1 and 3), BOD (2.16 and 6.87 mg/l in Stations 2 and 3), calcium (67.46 and 150.78 mg/l in Stations 2 and 3) and magnesium (67.78 and 72.08 mg/l in Stations 2 and 3) showed spatial variations (p < 0.05) during the rainy season. While pH, DO, BOD and total dissolved solids were within WHO acceptable levels, calcium, total suspended solids, iron, and phosphate values at Stations 2 and 3 were above WHO permissible limits (TSS: 25mg/l, calcium: 75-100mg/l, iron: 0.05-0.3mg/l and phosphate: 0.1mg/l). The slight increase in these variables may be due to the presence of anthropogenic substances in the river under study. Therefore, the water of River Niger at Cable Point, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria may not be suitable for drinking and may pose a risk to both aquatic life and humans if left unmonitored.