Pollution Potential of Effluent from Challawa Industrial Layout and its Influence on the Water Quality of River Challawa, Kano, Nigeria

Indicators of water quality are constituents that are measured through analysis and used to estimate the water quality status of a given sample of water. The physicochemical parameters of effluent discharged from Challawa industrial layout, Kano and its influence on the surface water quality of the receiving River Challawa, was investigated between March and June 2016 using standard analytical methods. Results indicated that both effluent and surface water showed the ranges 28.6-30.2 oC and 27.56-28.23 oC for temperature, 8.72-889 and 7.23-7.65 for pH, 3404-3844 mg/l and 2237-2499 mg/l for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), 3667-4212 mg/l and 2435-3143 mg/l for Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and, 5602-6543 µs/cm and 1792-1954 µs/cm for Electrical Conductivity (EC). Metal concentrations of the effluents and surface water ranged from 0.86-1.49 mg/l and 0.72-1.08 for lead (Pb), 0.82-0.98 and 0.12-0.31mg/l for cadmium (Cd), 0.64-9.98 mg/l and 1.42-2.48 mg/l for chromium (Cr) and, 2.46-3.57 mg/l and 0.82-2.05 mg/l for zinc (Zn). All through the study EC, TDS, TSS, Pb, Cd, Cr, and Zn contents of effluent were found to be above the Nigerian Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency's acceptable limit for the discharge of industrial effluents into surface water. Cd, Cr and Zn concentrations were above the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council limits for irrigation water. The concentrations of the parameters in surface water were also found to be above World Health organization (WHO) and the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) acceptable limits for portable water. Statistical analysis revealed that effluent discharged from Challawa industrial layout has significant adverse influence on the overall water quality of River Challawa. Extraction of the effluent for irrigation purposes or surface water of the river for domestic or industrial purposes poses serious toxicological risk to human health.