Spatial and Monthly Changes in Interstitial Water Physico-Chemistry of Bodo Creek

Abstract

Water plays a key role in the survival, growth and reproduction of aquatic organisms. Therefore maintaining good quality of water physico-chemical parameters would ensure optimum productivity of aquatic fauna. The study evaluated water physical and chemical parameters (temperature, hydrogen ion concentration (pH), conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of Bodo Creek. Sample was collected for 5 months (July 2020 – November 2020) at locations previously studied (before-spill baseline studies, 3 years, 5 years, and 7 years after-spill); by using the sampling methods used in previous studies. Spatially, there was no statistically significant difference in temperature (p > 0.05 = 0.997), pH (p > 0.05 = 0.496), DO (p > 0.05= 0.34) and BOD (p > 0.05 = 0.644). However, the difference in conductivity between the stations was statistically significant (p < 0.05 = 0.006). On monthly basis, there was a significant difference in temperature (p < 0.05 = 0.000) and pH (p < 0.05 = 0.005). In contrast, there was no statistically significant difference in conductivity (p > 0.05 = 0.633), DO (p > 0.05 = 0.559) and BOD (p > 0.05 = 0.75). Most of the physico-chemical parameters were not within the WHO recommended levels for the survival of aquatic lives, indicating a high level of environmental pollution in Bodo Creek. This study provides dataset for future evaluation of the water physico-chemistry of Bodo Creek.