The Effect of Agbarho Slaughterhouse Effluent on the Agbarho River Water
Chapter One
AIM AND OBJECTIVES
AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study seeks to ascertain the effect of Agbarho slaughterhouse effluent on the Agbarho river water with specific objectives which include:
- To have an overview of the effect of the Slaughter houses effluent/waste on the River water quality.
- To determine theeffect of Agbarho Saugter house Effluents on the Physical Properties of Agbarho River.
- To determine the effect of Agbarho Saugter house Effluents on the Chemical Properties of Agbarho River.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Definitions
An Slaughter houses has been defined as a premise approved and registered by the controlling authority for hygienic slaughtering and inspection of animals, processing and effective preservation and storage of meat products for human consumption (Alonge, 1991).
Environmental pollution is viewed as any condition or situation in which any substance or combination of substances present in the ecological system is detrimental to the health of man, plant, and animal or affects the welfare of man now or at a later time (Chukwu et al, 2007).
Environmental impacts are viewed as any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from an organization’s activities, products or services (AS/NZS ISO 14001 definition 3.4).
Total amount of waste produced per animal slaughtered is approximately 35% of its weight. Studies by Verheignjen et al. (1996) found that for every 1000 kg of carcass weight, a slaughtered beef produces 5.5 kg of manure (excluding rumen contents or stockyard manure) and 100 kg of punch manure (partially digested food). Similar results were obtained by Scahill (2003) and Cannon et al. (2004).
The pollution load on a water body from abattoir effluent can be quite high. For example studies done in Canada (Mittal, 2004) and Nigeria (Adie and Osibanjo, 2007) showed very high contaminant levels in abattoir effluent. Most of these contaminants are known to be hazardous to human beings and aquatic life. Likewise, improper disposal of effluent from slaughterhouses could lead to transmission of pathogens to humans and cause diseases such as Coli, Bacillus, Salmonella infections, Brucellosis and helminthic diseases and infections (Cadmus et al., 1999).
Akuffo (1998) also observed that water quality degradation interferes with vital and legitimate water quality uses at any scale. Pollution of water resources reduces the availability of clean and safe drinking water to most of the world’s population. Keating (1994) reported that in developing countries an estimated 80% of all diseases and over one third of deaths are caused by consuming contaminated water. In Malawi, nearly 50% of all illnesses are related to water borne diseases (Kalua and Chipeta, 2005; Palamuleni, 2001). It is interesting to note that Kachala (2010) relates the prevalence of oesophageal cancer to environmental degradation especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. The availability of safe water in Malawi is worsened by poor sanitation, improper disposal of industrial waste and chemical inputs from agriculture (Government of Malawi, 2001). Majority of the people living along and down the course of Mchesa stream depend on untreated stream water supply and chances are that they are drinking unclean, polluted water. Mchesa stream can be classified as an inland surface water body according to the Malawi Bureau of standards and Malawi government classification. Water from Mchesa is mainly used for domestic purposes and sometimes for drinking.
Environmental Problems Encountered in Slaughter houses
Environmental problems have increased in geometric proportion over the last three decades with improper management practices being largely responsible for the gross pollution of the aquatic environment with parallel increase in water borne diseases especially typhoid, diarrhea and dysentery. Slaughter houses are generally known all over the world to pollute the environment either directly or indirectly from their various processes (Adelegan, 2002).
Slaughterhouse wastewater is very harmful to the environment. Quinn and Mcfarlane (1989) observed that effluent discharge from slaughterhouses has caused the deoxygenation of rivers. Effluent from slaughterhouses has also been known to contaminate ground water (Sangodoyin and Agbawhe, 1992). The pollution potential of meat-processing and slaughterhouse plants has been estimated at over 1 million population equivalent in the Netherlands (Sayed, 1987) and 3 million in France (Festino and Aubart, 1986).
Tritt and Schuchardt (1992) reported during a study in Germany that blood, one of the major dissolved pollutants in slaughterhouse wastewater, has a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 375,000mg/L. This impacts high organic pollutants on receiving waters consequently creating high competition for oxygen within the ecosystem. This COD value is far higher than the maximum limit of 80 mg/l set by Federal Environmental Protection Agency/Federal Ministry Environment (FEPA/FMENV, 1991), Nigeria.
As population grows and urbanization increases, more water is required and greater demand is made on ground and surface water and an even greater amount of organic and inorganic wastes are speared back into water sources and less potable water becomes available (Shuval, 1972).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we would describe how the study was carried out.
SOURCES OF DATA
The data for this study were generated from two main sources; Primary sources and secondary sources. The primary sources include questionnaire, interviews and observation. The secondary sources include journals, bulletins, textbooks and the internet.
STUDY AREA
The Agbarho River serves as the case study with respect to the Slaughter houses effluent. Agbarho is one of the major town in Delta State in Southern Nigeria. It lies between latitude N5o 35’ 00’’ and longitude E5o 52’ 00’’. Agbarho is one of the populated towns in Delta state with an estimated value of 145,000 people.
Agbarho River is an important economic river in Delta state as various socio-economic activities including vehicle washing and fishing are possible through the river. The river also serve for the purpose of sand resources as it accommodates several dredging activities at various points. People living within the vicinity draw water from the river and even swim in it. The river originates from Orho a hinterland in Warri and stretches down westward to Uvwie Local Government Area of the state where it empties with its creeks into the Atlantic Ocean. The river receives wastes from municipal dumps and from Slaughter houses sited along its course. Although, there are more than one Slaughter houses in Agbarho, Oghara Slaughter houses is implicated in this study due to its strategic location right by the course of the Agbarho River and also because it is the major Slaughter houses which supplies about 65% of the meat for the town residence and other nearby communities.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
EFFECT OF AGBARHO SLAUGHTER HOUSE EFFLUENTS ON THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF AGBARHO RIVER
The pH and Temperature of the control sample, 100metres from the Slaughter houses region were statistically similar (P>0.05) to the pH and Temperature of the samples from the Slaughter houses region. SPSS and other excel tools were used to validate these analytical results.
From Table 1, the appearance of the water varied due to the concentration of Slaughter houses effluent in that region. Sample 2 taken from the mixing point of the effluent discharge into the river was the most turbid of all the samples. Its colour reading was also the highest at 2,684Pt.Co.APHA which is higher than the acceptable standard. Similarly, the mean value of the colour of the water did supersede the acceptable standard. This result is similar to the work of (Hassan et al., 2014). The pH of the Slaughter houses wastewater samples was acidic with its values ranging from 5.74 – 5.9.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to examine the effects of the Agbarho slaughter House Effluent on the Agbarho River Water.
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations are made, which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefit in addressing the challenges based on the effects of Agbarho slaughter House Effluent on the Agbarho River Water.
Summary
This study aimed at having a critical analysis of the effects of Agbarho slaughter House Effluent on the Agbarho River Water. The study opened with chapter one where the statement of the problem was clearly defined. The study objectives and research hypotheses were defined and formulated respectively. The study reviewed related and relevant literatures. The chapter two gave the conceptual framework, empirical and theoretical studies. The third chapter described the methodology employed by the researcher in collecting both the primary and the secondary data.. The study analyzed and presented the data collected in tables while the fifth chapter gives the study summary and conclusion.
CONCLUSION
Based on the results from this study, the water has a high presence of microorganisms and further investigation showed that the water possessed faecal coliform all of which are dangerous for human health if consumed. It is imperative that steps are taken to reduce the pollution in this region since it very much relates with public health; strict enactment of laws on the abuse of water bodies; development of waste treatments and public enlightenment should be carried out to ensure that environmental sanitary is maintained to reduce diseases implosion.
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