Physicochemical Assessment of Effluent Discharged from Tannery and Textile Industries on Water Quality and Aquatic Ecosystem of Sharada Kano

Study’s Excerpt • The heavy metals concentrations and other physicochemical parameters in effluents from tannery and textile industries in Sharada Industrial Area, Kano, Nigeria, were assessed. • Results revealed that their concentrations exceed permissible limits set by WHO, EU, and NAFDAC. • There is a need for monitoring and regulatory interventions to mitigate the environmental and health risks of effluents in the region. Full Abstract Industrial development, urbanization, and growth in the agricultural sector due to human needs have resulted in the widespread use of chemicals that significantly increased the rate of water pollution through the discharge of effluents. The present study aimed to determine the extends of physicochemical parameters levels in the effluents released by tannery and textile industries at Sharada Industrial Area, Kano, Nigeria. This can pose a health risk to humans and other aquatic organisms. Effluent samples were collected in July and August and digested using nitric acid (HNO3). Effluent samples were analyzed for concentration standard limits of heavy metals (Cd and Pb) using the spectrophotometer for atomic absorption (Buck Scientific with the model 210VGP). Effluent samples were further also studied for the pH level, temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO). Furthermore, other parameters such as nitrites, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), Phosphate and electrical conductivity (EC). The results showed that all the heavy metals (Cd and Pb) studied were elevated at different levels compared to those previously studied in normal samples and those recommended by WHO, EU, and NAFDAC concentration limits. Furthermore, the results of the study also show that samples collected in July revealed that the mean value of temperature, Phosphate, Lead, and Cadmium exceeded the permissible levels of the WHO, EU, and NAFDAC, whereas those in August revealed that the mean value of temperature, Phosphate, Lead, pH, and Cadmium also elevated above the same permissible limits set by WHO, EU, and NAFDAC. Two-sample T-test results revealed a significant relationship in the mean concentration of EC, pH, BOD, Nitrate, and Lead between tannery and textile industries in July, while pH, EC, BOD, Nitrate, lead, DO, temperature, and Phosphate showed a significant correlation difference between tannery and textile in August. The results further showed that the tannery industry had the most contaminated effluents, and August had the highest mean level of contaminated effluents. Therefore, these effluents are likely to pose serious risks of diseases and deterioration of health conditions of the humans using it as a source of water and adversely affect the quality of life of the aquatic organisms in the sewage, drainage, and dams. It could further pose a risk of transmission of diseases to plants during irrigation and affects the fruits and vegetables quality and nutrition. Thus, there is a need for serious monitoring.