International Journal of Environmental Science and Toxicology Research

1-5

Authors: Akinyemi L. P., Odunaike R. Kola, Daniel Dinah E, and Alausa S. K

A quarter of all the metals released to the seas by human activities was estimated to enter via rivers. This therefore motivated this study, carried out in Ibadan in Oyo State, Nigeria, to determine the extent of pollution that arises from the activities that take place around the Eleyele river. Composite samples of surface water were collected from five different locations along the river bank where the dam empties into the river and also where major activities take place. The samples were subjected to laboratory analysis using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) to assess the levels of heavy metal pollution such as Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni) and Zinc (Zn). Standard procedures (including on site analyses) were used to determine the physicochemical parameters such as pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, solids, nitrate, DO, and total hardness of the surface water samples. The ranges of values of the observed parameters were temperature: (27.2 – 28.2) oC; pH: (6.66 – 7.02); electrical conductivity: (242 – 291) µs/cm; total solid: (134 – 155) mg/L; nitrate: N.D. dissolved oxygen: (3.20 – 3.74) mg/L; total hardness: (49.63 – 66.0) mg/L. All the values were within the WHO, WHO/UNICEF and the USEPA guidelines but the river water requires little treatment to meet the environmental quality on WHO standard limit for potable water. Keywords: Physico-chemical parameters, Heavy metals, pollution, surface water, Eleyele River, Oyo state.