Environmental Impact of Abattoir Waste Discharge on the Quality of Water Body and Soil in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State

Abstract

Introduction: Wastes generated from abattoirs are an increasing source of pollution of water bodies. Aims: This study emphasizes on identifying environmental impacts caused by the abattoir along Iworoko Road, Ilokun Ado-Ekiti facility on its receiving water body and its users. Methodology: Wastewater, stream water, and soil samples were collected twice from the abattoir over a two-month period (June and August). Heavy metals, physiochemical and microbial analyses were carried out on the samples. Results: The sample collected in June from the study area showed mean bacterial count which ranges from 8.0 – 55.0x103 cfu/ml, and sample obtained in August showed mean bacteria count and this indicated that wastewater sample has the highest bacteria count of 8.0 x 103 cfu/ml. The lowest bacterial count was found in the stream water sample with 1.7 x 103 cfu/ml. The mean bacterial count in the contaminated soil sample was 2.8 x 103 cfu/ml. The results also show the occurrence of potentially pathogenic organisms such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The heavy metals and physiochemical properties of samples collected from the study area are as follows; Fe (3.806 and 2.812), Cu (1.070 and 0.95), Cd (0.001 and 0.001), Ni (0.0055 and 0.0025), Pb (0.13 and 0.107), Zn (0.37 and 0.406), pH (8.475 and 8.600), temperature (26.250 and 27.750 oC), total dissolved solid (267.05 and 212.8), dissolved oxygen (1.65 and 2.45) for waste water sample; Fe (0.402 and 0.519), Cu (0.277 and 0.3095), Cd (0.0 and 0.001), Ni (0.002 and 0.003), Pb (0.04 and 0.016), Zn (0.126 and 0.16), pH (6.82 and 7.235), temperature (26.600 and 27.700 oC), total dissolved solid (103.4 and 125.95), dissolved oxygen (4.85 and 5.00) for stream water sample; and Fe (122.85 and 98.500), Cu (0.694 and 0.4745), Cd (0.004 and 0.001), Ni (0.02 and 0.010), Pb (0.3675 and 0.2885), Zn (0.3255 and 0.525), pH (6.200 and 6.495), temperature (23.300 and 27.800 oC) for soil sample – each figure representing June and August respectively. Conclusion: The concentration of the heavy metals reported in this study indicates that there is significant difference in the concentration of the pollutants taken at different sample points.