Bulletins of Natural and Applied Sciences
Vol. 3(1):114-119
Assessment of Rice Mill Effluent Contamination on Drinking Water Quality in Kebbi, Nigeria
Magaji, U.F.*1, Ojikutu, D.L.1, Anyebe, D.A. 1, Dandare, A.2, Mohammed, U.F.3, Abdullahi I.A.4, Mode A.M.5, Yahaya, T.O.6, Sani I. 4, Dandare S.U. 2,7 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
ABSTRACT
Wastewater discharged from rice processing mills increasingly poses environmental and health risks. They distort water quality and increase biological activity. This study assessed the physicochemical characteristics, mineral elements and heavy metal composition of wastewater from two rice processing mills (EX: effluent wastewater from factory X and EY: effluent wastewater from factory Y) and drinking water sources around the effluent discharge sites (DWX: Drinking water from water sources around factory X and DWY: Drinking water from water sources around factory Y) in Birnin Kebbi metropolis. The outcomes indicated significantly elevated levels (p<0.05) of electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) of effluent wastewater in comparison to drinking water. The highest EC was observed in EX (3932.00±538.54 S/m), this was followed by the EC of EY (2545.60±90.23 S/m). The ECs of drinking water from the effluents discharge sites were 294.20±18.42 S/m and 85.60±6.84 S/m for DWX and DWY respectively. The TDS of EX and EY (1962.20±268.77mg/L and 1268.80±40.29mg/L) were comparatively higher than that of their corresponding drinking water samples; DWX and DWY (146.40±9.15mg/L and 43.00 ±3.08mg/L respectively). The pH and temperature of the tested samples indicated no significant difference (p>0.05). The pH ranged from 5.81 to 7.86, while temperature ranged from 26.02 to 28.20°C. Amongst mineral elements, K was highest, followed by Na and then Ca. Moderately low levels of Mg and Mn were observed in all samples. The levels of Fe and Mn in in effluent wastewater were above the WHO recommended limits of ≤ 0.3 and 0.40mg/L for Fe and Mn respectively. Except for Cr and Pb, all the analysed heavy metal were below WHO recommended limits. Rice effluent discharge was observed to distort water quality, thus reinforcement the need for stringent environmental monitoring and control.
