Physicochemistry and Heavy Metal Characteristics of Waste Products from Abattoir Activities in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

The upsurge of abattoir operations as a result of the rise in demand for meat protein has led to a corresponding increase in waste generation. These wastes are often channelled into nearby streams with little or no treatment which exposes aquatic organisms to the resultant consequences of this waste deposition. This study was thus aimed at determining the physicochemical quality of some abattoir samples in Port Harcourt city. Soil, faecal matter, wastewater, waste blood and service water samples from the Iwofe, Rumuodomaya and Trans-Amadi abattoirs were collected within a period of one year and the pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), sulphate, chloride, temperature, nitrate, ammonia and heavy metals quantities including chromium, lead, zinc, cobalt, copper and cadmium were determined using standard techniques. The study recorded high BOD5 and COD values from the blood, faecal matter, soil and wastewater samples while service water samples had values within the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality limits. Seasonal variations in the physicochemical parameters of the samples collected both in the wet and dry seasons were observed. The pH values ranged from 6.2-8.5, BOD5 of blood, faecal matter soil and wastewater ranged from 2124-4349 mg/l while the COD ranged from 2715-8820 mg/l. In Rumuodomaya, the BOD5 and COD ranged from 2276-2727 mg/l and 2583-3245 mg/l respectively while samples from Trans-Amadi abattoir had values for BOD5 and COD ranging from 2253-4330 mg/l and 2931-4597 mg/l, respectively. Nitrate, chromium, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, lead and copper contents in the different locations varied statistically at α-0.05 while no significant difference was observed for pH, ammonia, temperature, COD, BOD5, sulphate and chloride contents at α=0.05. The BOD5 and COD of waste blood, wastewater, soil and faecal matter recorded values that were above permissible limits for service water and therefore raises concern for the aquatic life being threatened by these effluents as the amount of dissolved oxygen available for them will be reduced as a pollution of the immediate environment, if these generated wastes are not treated before disposal.