Evaluation of Physicochemical Parameters in Surface Water along Trans-Amadi River, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

The study which was conducted along the Trans-Amadi River with the view of assessing the impact of various activities occurring along the river was done in 2025. Levels of various physicochemical characteristics of the surface water were determined using standard methods of analysis after three months of sampling at Nkpogu (station 1), Amad-ama (station 2) and koko-ama (station 3). The results for the mean concentrations of parameters in surface water showed that temperature ranged from 27.00C and 29.00C; Conductivity ranged from 1,885 µS/cm to 1,960 µS/cm; pH ranged from 6.20 and 6.50; phosphate levels ranged from 29.42 mg/l to 36.52 mg/l; nitrate varied from 5.972 mg/l to 7.428 mg/l; Dissolved Oxygen (DO) ranged from 5.91 mg/l to 6.05 mg/l; Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) ranged from 11.07 mg/l to 16.10 mg/l; chemical oxygen demand varied between 16.61 mg/l and 24.15 mg/l; Total dissolved solids values ranged from 943.671 mg/l to 987.378 mg/l; turbidity varied between 10.532 NTU and 13.842 NTU, total suspended solids was between 14.842 mg/l and 17.314 mg/l, Salinity values exist between 10.86 mg/l and 12.69 mg/l; chloride ranged from 6.58 mg/l to 7.69 mg/l; Total Hydrocarbon Concentration (THC) ranged from 4.811 mg/l to 15.943 mg/l. While the levels of DO were below International Standard Limits, levels of BOD were higher than the standard limits. These observations showed that the River was polluted due to input of anthropogenic activities and hence not fit for human consumption and as such there should be thorough clean up.