Assessment of Surface Water Quality using Phytoplankton as Base-line Indicator Organisms in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47430/ujmr.2491.003Keywords:
Phytoplankton, Surface water, Palmer’s index, Pollution-tolerant, ChlorellaAbstract
Timely and accurate monitoring of water quality is crucial to ensure their sustainable use and safeguard public health. Therefore, this study assessed surface water quality in Mubo River (SP1) and Sobi Dam (SP2) in Ilorin, using phytoplankton as baseline indicator organisms. Water samples were collected on July 20th (rain period) and December 20th (dry period), 2023, at a depth of 0.3 meters from the mid-water column. The physicochemical parameters of the water samples were determined using standard methods. The standard microscopic techniques were used for the enumeration and identification of phytoplankton genera. The findings showed that the pH and DO (mg/l) levels were within the permissible limit stipulated by the National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency for Surface Water in Nigeria (NESREA). The BOD (mg/l) and COD (mg/l) levels were above the permissible limit for SP1 for both seasons. The 8 genera of pollution-tolerant phytoplankton recorded were Cyclotella, Chlorophyta, Chlorella, Closterium, Chlamydomonas, Micractinium, Microcystis, Euglena and Phacus with Chlorella had the highest abundance percentage in all the sampling sites. The Shannon diversity indices values indicate lower phytoplankton species diversity (H ≤ 1.99) in all the water samples. The Palmer’s pollution index (PPI) scores were in the range of 14 to 18 in the sampling sites. Palmer's index suggests likely high organic pollution in Mubo Rivers' in both sampling periods. A notable high level of organic pollution was recorded in Sobi Dam only during the rainy season. The relatively high turbidity, BOD (mg/l) and COD (mg/l) values support the index pollution scores and therefore confirm the suitability of phytoplankton as baseline indicators for organic pollution assessment in the surface water.Timely and accurate water quality monitoring is crucial to ensure their sustainable use and safeguard public health. Therefore, this study assessed surface water quality in Mubo River (SP1) and Sobi Dam (SP2) in Ilorin, using phytoplankton as base-line indicator organisms. Water samples were collected on July 20th (rain season) and December 20th (dry season), 2023, at 0.3 meters from the mid-water column. The physicochemical parameters of the water samples were determined using standard methods. The standard microscopic techniques were used to enumerate and identify phytoplankton genera. The findings showed that the pH and DO (mg/l) levels were within the permissible limit stipulated by the National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency for Surface Water in Nigeria (NESREA). The BOD (mg/l) and COD (mg/l) levels were above the permissible limit for SP1 for both seasons. The 8 genera of pollution-tolerant phytoplankton recorded were Cyclotella, Chlorella, Closterium, Chlamydomonas, Micractinium, Microcystis, Euglena, and Phacus, with Chlorella having the highest abundance percentage in all the sampling sites. The Shannon diversity indices values indicate lower phytoplankton species diversity (H ≤ 1.99) in all the water samples. The Palmer’s pollution index (PPI) scores ranged from 14 to 18 in the sampling sites. Palmer's index suggests likely high organic pollution in Mubo Rivers' in both sampling periods. A notable high level of organic pollution was recorded in Sobi Dam only during the rainy season. The relatively high turbidity, BOD (mg/l), and COD (mg/l) values support the index pollution scores and confirm the suitability of phytoplankton as baseline indicators for organic pollution assessment in surface water.Timely and accurate water quality monitoring is crucial to ensure their sustainable use and safeguard public health. Therefore, this study assessed surface water quality in Mubo River (SP1) and Sobi Dam (SP2) in Ilorin, using phytoplankton as base-line indicator organisms. Water samples were collected on July 20th (rain season) and December 20th (dry season), 2023, at 0.3 meters from the mid-water column. The physicochemical parameters of the water samples were determined using standard methods. The standard microscopic techniques were used to enumerate and identify phytoplankton genera. The findings showed that the pH and DO (mg/l) levels were within the permissible limit stipulated by the National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency for Surface Water in Nigeria (NESREA). The BOD (mg/l) and COD (mg/l) levels were above the permissible limit for SP1 for both seasons. The 8 genera of pollution-tolerant phytoplankton recorded were Cyclotella, Chlorella, Closterium, Chlamydomonas, Micractinium, Microcystis, Euglena, and Phacus, with Chlorella having the highest abundance percentage in all the sampling sites. The Shannon diversity indices values indicate lower phytoplankton species diversity (H ≤ 1.99) in all the water samples. The Palmer’s pollution index (PPI) scores ranged from 14 to 18 in the sampling sites. Palmer's index suggests likely high organic pollution in Mubo Rivers' in both sampling periods. A notable high level of organic pollution was recorded in Sobi Dam only during the rainy season. The relatively high turbidity,Timely and accurate water quality monitoring is crucial to ensure their sustainable use and safeguard public health. Therefore, this study assessed surface water quality in Mubo River (SP1) and Sobi Dam (SP2) in Ilorin, using phytoplankton as base-line indicator organisms. Water samples were collected on July 20th (rain season) and December 20th (dry season), 2023, at 0.3 meters from the mid-water column. The physicochemical parameters of the water samples were determined using standard methods. The standard microscopic techniques were used to enumerate and identify phytoplankton genera. The findings showed that the pH and DO (mg/l) levels were within the permissible limit stipulated by the National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency for Surface Water in Nigeria (NESREA). The BOD (mg/l) and COD (mg/l) levels were above the permissible limit for SP1 for both seasons. The 8 genera of pollution-tolerant phytoplankton recorded were Cyclotella, Chlorella, Closterium, Chlamydomonas, Micractinium, Microcystis, Euglena, and Phacus, with Chlorella having the highest abundance percentage in all the sampling sites. The Shannon diversity indices values indicate lower phytoplankton species diversity (H ≤ 1.99) in all the water samples. The Palmer’s pollution index (PPI) scores ranged from 14 to 18 in the sampling sites. Palmer's index suggests likely high organic pollution in Mubo Rivers' in both sampling periods. A notable high level of organic pollution was recorded in Sobi Dam only during the rainy season. The relatively high turbidity, BOD (mg/l), and COD (mg/l) values support the index pollution scores and confirm the suitability of phytoplankton as baseline indicators for organic pollution assessment in surface water. BOD (mg/l), and COD (mg/l) values support the index pollution scores and confirm the suitability of phytoplankton as baseline indicators for organic pollution assessment in surface water.Timely and accurate water quality monitoring is crucial to ensure their sustainable use and safeguard public health. Therefore, this study assessed surface water quality in Mubo River (SP1) and Sobi Dam (SP2) in Ilorin, using phytoplankton as base-line indicator organisms. Water samples were collected on July 20th (rain season) and December 20th (dry season), 2023, at 0.3 meters from the mid-water column. The physicochemical parameters of the water samples were determined using standard methods. The standard microscopic techniques were used to enumerate and identify phytoplankton genera. The findings showed that the pH and DO (mg/l) levels were within the permissible limit stipulated by the National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency for Surface Water in Nigeria (NESREA). The BOD (mg/l) and COD (mg/l) levels were above the permissible limit for SP1 for both seasons. The 8 genera of pollution-tolerant phytoplankton recorded were Cyclotella, Chlorella, Closterium, Chlamydomonas, Micractinium, Microcystis, Euglena, and Phacus, with Chlorella having the highest abundance percentage in all the sampling sites. The Shannon diversity indices values indicate lower phytoplankton species diversity (H ≤ 1.99) in all the water samples. The Palmer’s pollution index (PPI) scores ranged from 14 to 18 in the sampling sites. Palmer's index suggests likely high organic pollution in Mubo Rivers' in both sampling periods. A notable high level of organic pollution was recorded in Sobi Dam only during the rainy season. The relatively high turbidity, BOD (mg/l), and COD (mg/l) values support the index pollution scores and confirm the suitability of phytoplankton as baseline indicators for organic pollution assessment in surface water.
Downloads
References
Aborisade, W. T., Ajao, A. T. and Idemudia, I. B. (2023). Water quality assessment and bacteriological evaluation of fishpond in Ilorin. Aswan University Journal of Environmental Studies, 4(4), 248-260. https://doi.org/10.21608/aujes.2023.211901.1153.
Aguilar-Torrejon, J. A., Balderas-Hernandez, P., Roa-Morales, G., Carlos Eduardo Barrera‑Diaz, C. D., Rodriguez‑Torres, I. and Torres‑Blancas, T. (2023). Relationship, importance, and development of analytical techniques: COD, BOD, and TOC in water - an overview through time. SN Applied Sciences, 5:118-131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-023-05318-7.
Al-Tamimi, A. M. and Al-Jumaily, I. S. A. (2021). Planktonic Diatoms as Bio Indicators of Water Quality of Euphrates River between Saqlawiah and Amiriat Al-Fallujah – Iraq. Annals of the Romanian Society for Cell Biology. 25(3): 6799 – 6813. https://annalsofrscb.ro/index.php/journal/article/download/2195/1823.
Baliton, R. S., Landicho, L. D., Cabahug, R. E. D., Paelmo, R. F., Laruan, K. A., Rodriguesz, R. S., Visco, R. G. and Castillo, A. K. A. (2020). Ecological services of agroforestry systems in selected upland farming communities in the Philippines. Biodiversitas, 21: 707-717. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d210237.
Boudeffa, K., Fekrache, F. and Bouchareb, N. (2020). Physicochemical and biological water quality assessment of the Guebli River, North-Eastern Algeria. Rasayan Journal of Chemistry, 13(1): 168 – 176. https://www.rasayanjournal.co.in/admin/php/upload/855_pdf.pdf.
Enawgaw, Y. and Wagaw, S. (2023). Phytoplankton communities and environmental variables as indicators of ecosystem productivity in a shallow tropical lake. Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 38:1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/02705060.2023.2216244.
Filiz, N., Iskin, U., Beklioglu, M., Oglu, B., Cao, Y., Davidson, T. A., Sondergaard, M., Lauridsen, T. L. and Jeppesen, E. (2020). Phytoplankton community response to nutrients, temperatures, and a heat wave in shallow lakes: an experimental approach. MDPI Journal of Water, 12(12): 3394 - 3415 https://doi.org/10.3390/w12123394.
Gabyshev, V., Barinova, S., Ivanova, A., Gabysheva, O. and Curtean-Banaduc, A. (2022). The indicator role of algae in assessing the organic pollution in the Lena River Delta, the Russian Arctic. Frontier in Environmental Science, 10: 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.921819.
Grob, E., Boersma, M. and Meunier, C. L. (2021). Environmental impacts on single-cell variation within a ubiquitous diatom: The role of growth rate. PLoS ONE, 16(5): 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251213.
Isichei, C. T., Adeniyi, I. F., Ogbuenunu, K. E. and Enordiana, I. O. (2020). Taxonomic composition and assessment of phytoplankton flora in Esa-Odo Reservoir, Osun State, Nigeria. Direct Research Journal of Biology and Biotechnology, 6(5): 64-74. https://doi.org/10.26765/DRJBB11583210.
Janse-van V. S., Taylor, J., Gerber, A. and Van-Ginkel, C. (2006). Easy identification of the most common freshwater algae. A guide for the identification of microscopic algae in South African freshwaters. p.212.
Kusari, L. (2022). Turbidity as a Surrogate for the determination of total phosphorus, using relationship based on sub-sampling techniques. Ecological Engineering and Environmental Technology, 23(4): 88-93. https://doi.org/10.12912/27197050/150233.
Labib, W., El Dahhar, A. A., Shahin, S. A., Ismail, M. M., Hosny, S. and Diab, M. H. (2023). Water quality indices as tools for assessment of the Eastern Harbor’s water status (Alexandria, Egypt). Springer Nature Journal of Applied Sciences, 5: 89-99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-023-05304-z.
Lemessa, F., Simane, B., Seyoum, A. and Gebresenbet, G. (2023). Assessment of the Impact of Industrial Wastewater on the Water Quality of Rivers around the Bole Lemi Industrial Park (BLIP), Ethiopia. MDPI Journal of Sustainability, 15(5): 4290-4308. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054290.
Liu, F., Gledhill, M., Tan, Q. G., Zhu, K., Zhang, Q., Salaun, P., Tagliabue, A., Zhang, Y., Weiss, D., Achterberg, E. P. and Korchev, Y. (2022). Phycosphere pH of unicellular nano- and micro-phytoplankton cells and consequences for iron speciation. Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology, 16: 2329–2336. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-022-01280-1.
Luvhimbi, N., Tshitangano, T. G., Mabunda, J. T., Olaniyi, F. C. and Edokpayi, J. N. (2022). Water quality assessment and evaluation of human health risk of drinking water from the source to point of use at Thulamela municipality, Limpopo Province. Scientific Reports, 12: 6059-6076. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10092-4.
Masuda, T., Prasil, O., Villafane, V. E., Valinas, M. S., Inomura, K. and Helbling, E. W. (2021). Impact of increased nutrients and lowered pH on photosynthesis and growth of three marine phytoplankton communities from the Coastal Southwest Atlantic (Patagonia, Argentina). Frontiers in Marine Sciences, 8: 1-20. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.609962.
Mishra, A. P., Kumar, S., Patra, R., Kumar, A., Sahu, H., Chandra, N., Pande, C. B. and Alshehri, F. (2023). Physicochemical parameters of water and its implications on avifauna and habitat quality. MDPI Journal of Sustainability, 15(12): 9494-9511. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129494.
Moses, S., Wyasu, G. and Moses, Titus. Y. (2019). Physicochemical and bacteriological quality of water collected from dams and rivers along gold mining sites in Zamfara State. Science World Journal, 14(1): 148-155. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/swj/article/view/208524.
Naselli-Flores, L. and Padisak, J. (2023). Ecosystem services provided by marine and freshwater phytoplankton. Hydrobiologia, 850(13): 2691-2706. https://.org/doi.10.1007/s10750-022-04795-y.
National environmental standard and regulation enforcement agency (NESREA): 2011. In: Federal Government of Nigeria NESREA Gazette for surface and groundwater quality control." Lagos Nigeria Printed and Purchased by the Federal Government Printer Lagos pp. B 693-727.
Nguyen, T. G. and Huynh, N. T. H. (2023). Evaluating surface water quality using indexes of water quality and plankton diversity. Civil Engineering Journal, 9(5): 1187-1202. http://dx.doi.org/10.28991/CEJ-2023-09-05-011.
Nwonumara, G. N., Elebe, F. A. and Nwibo, O. D. (2022). The physicochemical variables and phytoplankton of Ufiobodo and Ebonyi reservoirs, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The Zoologist, 21: 41-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/tzool.v21i1.7.
Ogunkunle, C. O., Mustapha, K., Oyedeji, S. and Fatoba, P. O. (2016). Assessment of metallic pollution status of surface water and aquatic macrophytes of earthen dams in Ilorin, North-Central of Nigeria as indicators of environmental health. Journal of King Saud University of Science, 28(4): 324-331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2015.11.005.
Okere, M. C., Davies, I. C. and Okonkwo, S. E. (2020). Seasonal variation of the hydro-environmental factors and phytoplankton community around waters in Tincan Island, Lagos State, Nigeria. Journal of Applied Science and Environmental Management, 24(10) 1739-1746. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jasem/article/view/201253/189766.
Okoye, G. U. and Ogbebor, J. U. (2023). Evaluation of the organic pollution status of some rivers in Edo State using Palmer’s Pollution Index. Journal of Science and Technology Research, 5(4): 97-105. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10426140.
Onu, M. A., Ayeleru, O. O., Oboirien, B. and Olubambi, P. A. (2023). Challenges of wastewater generation and management in sub-Saharan Africa: a review. Environmental Challenges, 11: 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2023.100686.
Ray, A., Mondal, D., Chakraborty, N. and Ganguly, S. (2023). Phytoplankton diversity in wastewater impacted Indian Ramsar site: a study from East Kolkata Wetland. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195(8):938. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-11541-x.
Roy, M., Shamim, F. and Chatterjee, S. (2021). Evaluation of Physicochemical and Biological Parameters on the Water Quality of Shilabati River, West Bengal, India. Water Science, 35(1): 71-81. http://doi.org/10.1080/23570008.2021.1928902.
Salem, Z., Ghobara, M. and El-Nahrawy, A. A. (2017). Spatio-temporal evaluation of the surface water quality in the middle Nile Delta using Palmer’s algal pollution index. Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 4(3): 219-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbas.2017.05.003.
Tambaru, R., Burhanuddin, A. I., Massinai, A. and Amran, M. A. (2021). Detection of marine microalgae (phytoplankton) quality to support seafood health: A case study on the west coast of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22(11): 5179-5186. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d221156.
Zaghloul, A., Saber, M. and Abd-El-Hady, M. (2019). Physical indicators for pollution detection in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Bulletin of the National Research Centre, 43: 120-126. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-019-0162-2.
Zaky, S. K., Ezra, A. G., AbdulHameed, A., Nayaya, A. J. and Okpanachi, I. Y. (2018). Use of algae as a bio-friendly means to determine the water quality of Romi River in Kaduna, Nigeria. Science World Journal, 13(1): 65 -69. https://www.scienceworldjournal.org/article/view/18373/11926.
Zhang, P., Yang, M., Lan, J., Huang, Y., Zhang, J., Huang, S., Yang, Y. and Ru, J. (2023). Water quality degradation due to heavy metal contamination: health impacts and eco-friendly approaches for heavy metal remediation. MDPI Toxics, 11(10): 828-848. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11100828.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Wakili T Aborisade, A T Ajao, A I Sadiq
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
