Effect of Human Activities on the Physicochemical and Bacteriological Qualities of Ujiogba River, Ujiogba, Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Water is the second essential factor for life after oxygen and it offers a number of benefits and services to man and his environment. The effect of human activities on the physicochemical and bacteriological qualities of water samples from Ujiogba River was carried out using standard techniques. The concentrations of physicochemical parameters; electrical conductivity (17.5 ± 4.30 μS/cm), colour (0.07± 0.04), sulphate (0.88 ± 2.15 mg/l), nitrate (0.19 + 2.27 mg/l) and phosphate (0.56 ± 0.45 mg/l) were higher at the midstream. Iron had the highest concentration of all heavy metals analysed at the midstream (0.12 ± 1.37 mg/l) although all heavy metals were below the SON / FEPA limit. The midstream had the highest mean counts for heterotrophic bacterial and coliform counts of 6.33 ± 0.40 x 106 cfu/ml and 4.28 ± 0.52 x 106cfu/ml respectively, which were higher than the WHO recommended limit of 100 cfu/ml and 0cfu/ml for heterotrophic bacterial and coliform counts respectively. The bacterial isolates identified were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella (12.68%), Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Shigella, Staphylococcus (11.27%) and Bacillus, Micrococcus, Enterobacter sp (9.86%, 9.86%, 9.68%) respectively. The midstream showed a significant difference for electrical conductivity, turbidity and coliform counts (P<0.05). Antibiotics resistance profile revealed multiple resistance patterns. Consumers of the water are advised to reduce the human activities in Ujiogba river so as to prevent continuous pollution of the water body.