Pollution Studies of Some Water Bodies in Lagos, Nigeria

Over the years, there has been an obvious pollution problem in Lagos area, Nigeria with high population of over eleven million and the near absence of waste management infrastructures. Concentrations of some pollution parameters and trace elements (temperature, pH, salinity, SO۴۲-, NO۳-, PO۴۳-, F-, DO, BOD, COD and coliform, Cr, Co, Ni, Ag, Cd and Pb) were determined from water bodies of Isolo Canal, Lagos lagoon and the Seaport in Lagos area, during the rainy season (July, August, September and October) of ۲۰۰۲. Temperature was fairly constant with a range of ۲۶ ? ۳۱oC while salinity, SO۴۲-, NO۳-, BOD, COD decreased in the three water bodies as the rains increased. DO and coliform counts increased, while F- was almost constant during the same period. Phosphate was below detection limit in all the water bodies. The concentrations of dissolved metals varied between the water bodies. The concentration of Pb was found to be highest in the Sea and Cd was not detected in all the water bodies. The concentrations of the Cr, Co, Ni and Ag varied differently with salinity in all the water bodies. Pb concentrations did not show any significant variation with salinity in all the water bodies.   REFERENCES APHA (۱۹۹۲) Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (۱۸th ed.). Published jointly by American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association and, Water Pollution Control and Environment Federation, U. S. A. Bhattacharya, B., Sarkar, S. K. and Maji, P. K (۱۹۹۴) Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in flora and fauna of Hooglily Estuary, East Coast of India. Toxicol. Environ. Chem., ۴۲, ۱۲۳-۱۳۰. Boughriet, A., Ouddane, B., Fischer, J. C., Wastel, M. and Leman, G. (۱۹۹۲) Variability of dissolved Mn and Zn in the Seine Estuary and chemical speciation of these metals in suspended matter. Water Res., ۲۶, ۱۳۵۹-۱۳۷۸. Chapman, D. (۱۹۹۲) Water quality assessment. A guide to the use of biota, sediments and water in environmental monitoring. Published on behalf of UNESCO, WHO and UNEP. Chapman Hall, London. Davis, A. G. (۱۹۸۳) The effects of heavy metals upon natural marine phytoplankton population. Prog. Phycol. Res., ۲,۱۱۳-۱۴۵. Goulden, P. D. (۱۹۷۸) Environmental pollution analysis. Heyden and Sons Ltd. Norfolk. Konar, S.K. and Mullick, S. (۱۹۹۳) Pollutional hazards of coastal waters by petrol, detergents and heavy metals. Environ. Ecol. ۱۱, ۶۸۸-۶۹۰.  Kraepiel, A. M. L., Chiffoleau, J.F., Martin, J.M., Morel, F.M.M. (۱۹۹۷) Geochemistry of trace metals in the Gironde Estuary. Geochim. Cosmochin Acta., ۶۱, ۱۴۲۱-۱۴۳۶.  Lee, S.H. and Lee, K.W. (۱۹۸۳) Heavy metals in sediments from Juhae Bay, Korea. Haeyang Haklwechi, ۱۸, ۴۹-۵۴. Morris, A.W. (۱۹۹۰). Kinetic and equilibrium approaches to estuarine chemistry. Sci. Tot. Environ, ۹۷, ۲۵۳-۲۶۶. Vanzquez, G. F., Diaz, R. A., Salvador, L. G. and Virender, K.S. (۱۹۹۸) Dissolve metals in Alvarado Lagoon, Mexico. Environ. Inter. ۲۴, ۷۲۱-۷۲۷.

Keywords:

Pollution , water bodies , Lagos , Nigeria