EFFECT OF BREWERY WASTE-WATERS ON IDEMILI RIVER

Abstract

The effect of the waste waters from two Breweries located in Onitsha on the Idemili River was investigated for two years. The physico-and microbiological parameters of both the waste waters and the river samples were also examined. Results obtained indicated that the waste waters had higher level of pH, potassium
ions, nitrate ions, sulphate ions and BOD5 than the river sample. Similarly higher values were recorded for outfall sites of river samples than upstream. There was significant difference between the values recorded for the upstream and the outfall site samples of the river at 5% significant level. It was observed that the outfall
site sample was richer in microbial population density than the upstream sample. There were higher levels of both physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of the river samples in the rainy season than in the dry season. The waste water had pollutional effect on the Idemili river especially at the outfall sites.