ABSTRACT

Some aspects of the physico- chemical characteristics and bacteriological analysis of Ibini Stream were investigated from January to December 2015. Four stations were studied from upstream to downstream using standard methods. A total of fifteen physico-chemical characteristics were examined with the following findings: Air and water temperatures ranged between 25.5^oC and 29.6^oC and 25.0^oC to 29.0^oC. The pH and alkalinity values ranged from 5.0 to 7.97 and 8.0mgl^-1 to 202mgl^-1. Conductivity ranged from 65.1µScm^-1 to 422.4µScm^-1 and Total dissolved solids from 40mgl^-1 to 298mgl^-1. Dissolved oxygen ranged from 1.1mgl^-1 to 7.8mgl^-1 while biochemical oxygen demand ranged from 0.4mgl^-1 to 6.5mgl^-1. Potassium ranged from 1.0mgl^-1 to 9.04mgl^-1. Calcium and magnesium ranged from 3.8mgl^-1 to 40.1mgl^-1 and 40mgl^-1 and 298mgl^-1.  Iron ranged from 0.04mgl^-1 to 38.1mgl^-1.  Copper ranged from 0.01mgl^-1 to 1.42mgl^-1 while zinc ranged from 0.01mgl^-1 to 0.04mgl^-1. All the parameters exhibited clear seasonal variations. The statistical analysis of the results of some physicochemical parameters was done using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post Hoc Duncan test. ANOVA showed a significant difference (p < 0.01, 0.001) in the values of pH, and BOD₅, among the stations. A total of fifteen bacterial species were isolated from the water. These were Enterobacter aerogenes, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Sphaerotilus natans, Erwinia amylovora, Bacillus licheniformis, Shigella dysenteriae, S. sonnei, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Salmonella enteritidis and Yersinia enterocolitica. The total bacterial count of the water of the river ranged from 1.7 x 103 to 2.15 x 104 cfu/ml. The health risks or coliforms in this stream is of serious concern as the water from this river is being used for domestic purposes and recreational activities like swimming while the bank of the river is used for agricultural purpose of planting of vegetables and fruits and in some instances planting of rice in the shallow areas in the river. The biological health risks include gastroenteritis, diarrhea, pneumonia etc resulting from consumption of water from this Stream.