Microbiological and physico-chemical assessment of surface water quality along Asukawkaw River in the Volta Region.
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Date
2012-10-20
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Abstract
This study (conducted between March and June, 2012), assessed the water quality of the
Asukawkaw River in the Nkwanta South District of the Volta Region. Composite water samples
drawn from some sections of the Asukawkaw river from five sampling points, Asukawkaw
Upstream, Asukawkaw Downstream, Dodo Tamale, Dodo Bethel and Dodo Fie were analysed in
the laboratory for temperature, pH, turbidity, conductivity, TDS, TSS alkalinity, and some
selected nutrients (SO4
2-,PO3-
4, NO2
-,NO-
4) some heavy metals (Fe, Pb Zn, Cd, and Cr) and total
and faecal coliforms. The results indicated that turbidity, total iron, chromium, faecal coliforms
and total coliforms were above the guidelines set by the WHO and the 2003 Ghana Raw Water
Criteria and Guidelines for domestic use. With the exception of temperature and pH, all the
other parameters experienced a general increase during the sampling regime due to the influence
of rainfall with turbidity, conductivity and total dissolved solids recording high values. The
nutrient concentrations observed in the water were slightly low and fell within the WHO
standards except for PO4
2- at Dodo Bethel and Asukawkaw Downstream. There were high levels
of Fe, some considerable concentrations of Cr contamination at all the sampling points. All other
heavy metal parameters were below detection limit (BDL). Pollution Load Index (PLI)
assessment of the river for Fe, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr and Al indicates an unpolluted water body. The
mean total coliforms ranged between 497.50 TC/100ml and 1323.25TC/100ml while all the
samples analyzed recorded 121.00 FC/100ml and 425.50FC/100ml for faecal coliforms.
Description
A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Environmental Science, Kwame
Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in Partial Fulfillment of
the Award of Master of Science in Environmental Science, October-2012