Journal of
Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology

  • Abbreviation: J. Environ. Chem. Ecotoxicol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-226X
  • DOI: 10.5897/JECE
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 197

Full Length Research Paper

An assessment of the organic pollution indicator levels of River Benue in Adamawa State, Nigeria

  O. N. Maitera 1 *, V. O. Ogugbuaja 2  and J. T. Barminas 3  
  1 Department of Chemistry, Adamawa State University, Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria.  2 Department of Chemistry, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.  3 Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria. 
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 30 June 2010
  •  Published: 30 September 2010

Abstract

 

The assessment of organic pollution Indicator levels of River Benue in Adamawa State was carried in 
ten sampling stations. The sampling was done in the months of February, March, and April 2007, 
representing dry season, while the months of August, September, and October 2007, represent the wet 
season. The water and sediment samples collected were analysed using standard procedures. The 
pollution indicators determined includes: Dissolve oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), 
chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total organic carbon (TOC). The results for River Benue showed 
the following concentrations of the parameters assessed: The BOD5 values ranged between 1.55 ± 0.68 
and 3.72 ± 0.51 mg/l for dry season and 0.89 ± 0.11 and 1.70 ± 0.72 mg/l for wet season indicating that 
values were higher during dry season than wet season. Likewise the COD values were between 2.97 ± 
0.47 and 3.57 ± 0.97 mg/l for dry season and 2.49 ± 0.47 and 2.90±0.31 mg/l for wet season. This shows 
high COD values during dry season than wet season. The TOC values ranged between 1.01 ± 0.06 and 
1.52 ± 0.16% for dry season and 0.35 ± 0.06 and 0.56 ± 0.08% for wet season, while the DO values were 
between 5.27 and 6.41 mg/l for dry season and 6.32 and 8.32 mg/l for wet season. This showed that the 
DO was high during wet season than dry season. The BOD5, COD and TOC were high during dry 
season, while the DO was low and vice versa. The correlation between BOD5 versus COD gave a 
positive correlation of 0.652 and that of COD against TOC gave a positive correlation of 0.743 because 
all of them are products of oxidation.  The correlation of DO against BOD5 gave a negative correlation of 
0.693. The values of the organic indicators studied were within the allowable limits of WHO and 
NAFDAC. 
 
Key words: Organic indicators, pollution, River Benue, parameters, sediment, assessment