A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF WATER QUALITY IN THE KANO RIVER AND THE NEW TAMBURAWA TREATMENT PLANT IN KANO, NIGERIA
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF WATER QUALITY IN THE KANO RIVER AND THE NEW TAMBURAWA TREATMENT PLANT IN KANO, NIGERIA
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Date
2011-06
Authors
MUKHTAR, IBRAHIM
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Abstract
The analysis of water in the Kano river was carried out to determine the concentration of three
selected metals; Cu, Fe and Mn before and after treatment from January 2009 to September
2009. Water quality monitoring in developing countries is inadequate, especially in rivers
affected by urban effluents and runoff from agricultural lands. As a result of findings by previous
studies within the up- stream area of the drainage basin, especially by Akan et al, (2007), it was
revealed that metals investigated were above the WHO standards for drinking water. This study
was situated in the down- stream area of the drainage basin, where the Challawa River merges
with the Kano River, so as to capture effluents probably not captured by the previous studies and
to investigate the efficiency of the treatment plant in removing metal pollutants.
The concentrations of the metals were determined using the spectrophotometer after digestion of
both the raw and treated water samples using the Nitric acid digestion method. The result of the
laboratory analysis revealed that the selected metals were present within the basin in varying
concentrations across the seasons. Statistical analysis using the T-test revealed that there was
significant difference in concentration of Cu between the treated and raw water during the dry
season, but showed no significant difference during the rainy season. This implies better
treatment in the dry season. Fe showed significant difference between raw and treated water in
both seasons, this shows better efficiency in the treatment of the water for Fe. There was less
reduction in the concentration of Mn across the seasons with no significant difference between
raw and treated water. All observed concentrations for raw water were above the WHO
standards, while the treated water concentration for Fe was above the international standard that
of Mn and Cu were within WHO limits. Generally there was better reduction in concentrations of
the pollutants in the dry season than the rainy season. Human activities and changing land uses
have brought about the increase in the concentration of the selected metals. Even though the
treatment plant reduces the metal concentrations it is still below the WHO standard.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POST-GRDUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA, IN PATIAL
FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
AWARD OF THE Master of Science
(M.Sc.) DEGREE IN GEOGRAPHY
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA
JUNE 2011
Keywords
COMPARATIVE,, ANALYSIS,, WATER,, QUALITY,, KANO,, RIVER,, NEW,, TAMBURAWA,, TREATMENT,, PLANT,, KANO,, NIGERIA