Continental J.

Environmental Sciences 4: 36- 43, 2010

©Wilolud Journals, 2010

ECODYNAMICS OF EXCHANGEABLE CATIONS AND ANIONIC POLLUTANTS OF A NIGER DELTA

RIVER SEDIMENT RECEIVING INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS.

Eze, V.C. and G.C. Okpokwasili

Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract
The exchangeable cations and anionic pollutants of Okpoka-Woji River serving as a sink for
effluents of industries located in the vicinity within the Trans-Amadi industrial area were
carried out. Sediment samples were collected from six sampling stations located along the
channel for the assessment of exchangeable cations namely calcium, magnesium, potassium,
and sodium and nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, ammonium, sulphate, sulphite and phosphate. The
mean values for the exchangeable cations namely calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium
ranged from 387.56 to 1775.78mg/kg; 2093.67 to 4517.38mg/kg; 134.27 to 1393.49mg/kg and
1140.87 to 8293mg/kg respectively. The mean values for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia and
ammonium varied from 49.44 to 98.97mg/kg, 45.94 to 73.44mg/kg, 13.55 to 27.30mg/kg and
14.33 to 28.87mg/kg respectively. Sulphate, sulphite and phosphate mean values ranged from
1492.17 to 9389.58mg/kg, 1243.47 to 7062.25mg/kg and 3.13 to 8.01mg/kg respectively. The
work showed that the river is polluted by theses parameters from the activities of industries
operating in the area.

KEYWORDS: Ecodynamics, exchangeable cations, anionic pollutants, sediments, industrial

effluents, Niger Delta River

INTRODUCTION
One of the most important characteristics of bottom sediments is their ability to exchange cations with the
surrounding aquatic medium. Cation exchange capacity measures the capacity of a solid, such as sediment to sorb
cations. It varies with pH and salt concentration. Furthermore, because of their capacity to sorb and release hydrogen
ions, sediments have an important pH buffering effects in some waters. Ion exchange has been seen as one of the
most important chemical phenomenon by which diagenetic changes occur after terrestrial sediments are deposited in
the marine environment. It has been observed that variations in the concentrations of potassium and magnesium
affect diagenetic changes (Parashiva et al, 1972; Manahan, 2001).

Sediments are important source of nutrients in many water bodies and nutrient loads in many ways result from the
waters where sediments are more easily disturbed by fractions of nutrients from the sediments enter the water
column under reducing conditions. These nutrients cause eutrophication (Kiely, 1998).

Eutrophication is the enrichment of waters by inorganic plant nutrients. The nutrients are usually nitrogen and
phosphorus and these result in an increase in primary productivity. This is artificial enrichment which has been
termed cultural eutrophication. Cultural eutrophication is unnatural and can pose danger to the human societies,
though its occurrence is as a result of human activities. Cultural eutrophication causes pollution of aquatic
ecosystem leading to the death of aquatic lives such as the plants, fishes and other aquatic organisms that make use
of oxygen, thus reducing the recreational value of the lake (Joanne et al., 2007).

There are a number of factors affecting the occurrence of eutrophication, firstly, the nutrient or trophic status of the
water body; secondly, the characteristics of the water body example size, water residence time and thirdly, its
susceptibility to temperature and oxygen stratification and whether it is a monomeric or dimictic lake (Kiely, 1998;
Purcel, 2005). The degree of productivity can be classified according to the annual mean level of phosphate entering
a system and the annual mean production of plant growth in the form of chlorophyll-a.

The study was carried out to assess the status of exchangeable ctaions and anionic pollution of the river sediment
and their relationship with the industrial discharges over a period of time.

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 Eze, V.C. and G.C. Okpokwasili: Continental J. Environmental Sciences 4: 36- 43, 2010

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study Area
The Okpoka - Woji River is situated in the coastal environment of the Niger Delta. It arises from the bifurcation to
the left of the Okpoka River, which drains into bonny river. The area has a mean water depth of 4.8m, which is tidal
and gradually transits from fresh to the salt water at the head. The fresh water biotope flows unidirectionally
downstream from the Rumuodara swamp forest transversing Port Harcourt - Aba Express Road Bridge through
Rumuogba (Mini-Okoro Police Station) where tidal effects begin, hence the beginning of the incursion of salt water.
(Figure1).

t
h am W es Road
E li a E a s t -

ay
s sw
ra p re
Ru
m ud a
Ex

Ea
st
Mg b ue s ilia r
u
ba
ur t /A We st
.a r c o
Elelenwo

Po r t H
Ro
ad
Ro a d
a
O ld Ab R um u ogb a
1
R
oa
d
Ru muobiaka ni
Umurou
2
ou
Trans 3 Woji ur d
Um Roa
Oginigba -
Amadi adi
s Am
n
Road Tr a tto ir
Aba
Trans Amadi

Industrial Area 4
o ad C ree
di R k
n s Am a
Tr a
Okujagu 5

Okwuru Ama 6

Okujagu
Abuloma Road

Fed Coll. Legend

Okpoka River

Scale
0 500m

Expressway
Major Road
Rivers / Creeks
Source: Street Guide of Port Harcourt by SPDC 1986
37
Fig.1: Map of Woji Creek showing the sampling stations
 Eze, V.C. and G.C. Okpokwasili: Continental J. Environmental Sciences 4: 36- 43, 2010

Collection of Sediment Samples

Sediment samples were collected from the river at the discharge points once in a month from April 2001- March
2002. The sediment samples were collected using soil grab and were put in sterile black polythene bags. All the
samples were analyzed immediately on reaching the laboratory.
Chemical Reagents

Chemical reagents used in the study were of analytical grade and were products of BDH chemicals, Poole’s,
England, Sigma Chemical Company, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A and Hach Company Ltd. Colorado, U.S.A.
Determination of Exchangeable Cations

The method for the determination was adopted from APHA (1998). The sediment samples were first extracted using
IN ammonium acetate solution. This was done by weighing 5g of sieved air dried samples and adding to 30ml of the
extracting solution in a tube. This was shaken on a mechanical shaker for two hours. They were then centrifuged for
five minutes and the supernatant carefully decanted into a 100ml volumetric flask. This was then made up to the
mark with the extracting solution. The exchangeable cations of the extract were determined using Unicam Atomic
Absorption Spectrophotometer, Model 969.

Determination of the Anions

The anions determined were nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, ammonium, sulphate, phosphate.

The nitrate was determined using the Cadmium reduction method after extraction with distilled water while the
nitrite was determined using the diazotization, NED rapid method. The method of nitrate extraction in the sediment
was employed for nitrite. The Nessler reaction method was employed for the determination of ammonia after
extraction with water. The Ascorbic acid method was used for the determination of phosphate after extraction using
Bray No. 1 solution. The Barium chloride (turbidimetric) method was employed in the determination of sulphate
after extraction using Morgan’s solution. The method used for determination of sulphate was the Iodimetric titration
method. The methods for the determination of the anions were adapted from APHA (1998).

Statistical Analysis
The statistical tools used were analysis of variance (ANOVA) and standard deviation adapted from Agwung-
Fobellah (2007).

RESULTS
The changes in the exchangeable cations namely calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium are shown in Figures
2a to 2d. It was generally observed that the mean values for the exchangeable cations were higher in the rainy season
months than in the dry season months. The ANOVA, P > 0.05 showed that there was no significant difference in the
mean values between the rainy and dry season months for calcium and sodium. However the ANOVA, P < 0.05
showed that there was significant difference in the mean values between the rainy and dry season months for
magnesium and potassium. The ANOVA P > 0.05 showed that there was no significant difference in the mean
values among the stations for potassium. However the ANOVA, P < 0.05 shows that there was significant difference
in the mean values for other exchangeable cations.

38
 Eze, V.C. and G.C. Okpokwasili: Continental J. Environmental Sciences 4: 36- 43, 2010

1800.0
2500.0
2a Rainy Dry Rainy Dry
1600.0
2b
2000.0
1400.0

Potassium (mg/Kg)
1200.0
Calcium (mg/Kg)

1500.0
1000.0

1000.0 800.0

600.0

500.0
400.0

200.0
0.0
Stn 1 Stn 2 Stn 3 Stn 4 Stn 5 Stn 6 0.0
Stations Stn 1 Stn 2 Stn 3 Stn 4 Stn 5 Stn 6
Stations

6000.0
2c Rainy Dry 120000.0
2d Rainy Dry

5000.0
100000.0
Magnesium (mg/Kg)

4000.0
80000.0
Sodium (mg/Kg)

3000.0
60000.0

2000.0
40000.0

1000.0
20000.0

0.0
0.0
Stn 1 Stn 2 Stn 3 Stn 4 Stn 5 Stn 6
Stn 1 Stn 2 Stn 3 Stn 4 Stn 5 Stn 6
Stations
Stations

Fig. 2: Changes in the monthly mean values of calcium, potassium,

magnesium and sodium levels of Okpoka-Woji River sediment
across the stations.

39
 Eze, V.C. and G.C. Okpokwasili: Continental J. Environmental Sciences 4: 36- 43, 2010

The seasonal changes in the nitrate, nitrite and ammonia are shown in Figures 3a to 3c. Their mean values were
higher in the dry season months than in the rainy season months. The ANOVA, P > 0.05 showed that there was no
significance in their mean values between the dry and rainy season months. However, the ANOVA, P < 0.05
revealed that there was significant difference in their mean values among the stations.

120
3a
100 Rainy Dry
Nitrite (mg/Kg)

80

60

40

20

0
Stn 1 Stn 2 Stn 3 Stn 4 Stn 5 Stn 6
Stations

160
3b Rainy Dry

120
Nitrate (mg/Kg)

80

40

0
Stn 1 Stn 2 Stn 3 Stn 4 Stn 5 Stn 6
Stations

50
3c Rainy Dry

40
Ammonia (mg/Kg)

30

20

10

0
Stn 1 Stn 2 Stn 3 Stn 4 Stn 5 Stn 6
Stations

Fig. 3: Changes in the monthly mean values of nitrite, nitrate and ammonia
levels of Okpoka-Woji River sediment across the stations.

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 Eze, V.C. and G.C. Okpokwasili: Continental J. Environmental Sciences 4: 36- 43, 2010

The changes in the ammonium, sulphate, sulphite and phosphate are shown in Figures 4a to 4d. The mean values for
ammonium were higher in dry season than in the rainy season months. The ANOVA P > 0.05 showed that there was
no significant difference in the mean value between the dry and rainy season months. The ANOVA, P < 0.05
showed that there was significant difference in the mean values among the stations.

The mean values for sulphate and sulphite were higher in the dry season months except in stations 1 and 2 where the
mean values were higher in the rainy season months. The ANOVA P < 0.05 showed that there was significant
difference in the mean values between the dry and rainy season months and also among the stations for sulphate. But
the ANOVA, P > 0.05 revealed that there was no significant difference among the stations for sulphite.

The mean values for phosphate were higher in the rainy season months for stations 1, 5 and 6 while the mean values
were higher in the dry season months for stations 2,3 and 4. The ANOVA, P > 0.05 showed that there was no
significant difference in the mean values between the dry and rainy season months and also among the stations.

45 14.0
4b Rainy Dry
4a Rainy Dry
40
12.0

35
10.0
g/Kg)

30
g/Kg)

Phosphate(m
onium(m

25
8.0

20 6.0
Amm

15
4.0
10

2.0
5

0 0.0
Stn 1 Stn 2 Stn 3 Stn 4 Stn 5 Stn 6 Stn 1 Stn 2 Stn 3 Stn 4 Stn 5 Stn 6
Stations Stations

12.0 9.0
4c Rainy Dry 4d Rainy Dry
8.0
10.0

7.0
g/Kg)

8.0
6.0
g/Kg)
Sulphate(m

Sulphite(m

5.0
6.0

4.0
4.0
3.0

2.0 2.0

1.0
0.0
Stn 1 Stn 2 Stn 3 Stn 4 Stn 5 Stn 6 0.0
Stations Stn 1 Stn 2 Stn 3 Stn 4 Stn 5 Stn 6
Stations

Fig. 4: Changes in the monthly mean values of ammonium, phosphate,

sulphate and sulphite levels of Okpoka-Woji River sediment across
the stations.

DISCUSSION
The exchangeable cations namely calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium as determined during the study
period were observed to have high values. The domestic and industrial discharges into the river help in increasing
their concentration in the sediment. Decomposing vegetable matter has been reported to rapidly release potassium
(Tesarova, 1976; Ezeala, 1984). The high values of these parameters in the rainy season months could be as a result

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 Eze, V.C. and G.C. Okpokwasili: Continental J. Environmental Sciences 4: 36- 43, 2010

of the deposition of these parameters in the sediment from effluents through runoffs thereby increasing their
concentration (Izonfuo and Bariweni, 2001; Eze and Okpokwasili, 2008).

The essential nutrients, nitrate and phosphate were observed to have high values and also higher in the dry season
than the rainy seasons months. It has been observed that these nutrients enter the aquatic habitat through urban
sewage effluent discharge which may be in the form of treated or untreated sewage, agricultural activities, especially
animal wastes and fertilizer and settle in the sediment thereby increasing the levels (Kiely, 1998). The pollution
enters as a point source or carried from diffuse sources in their catchments. It has also been observed that both
nitrogen and phosphorus are highly particle reactive and most of them when discharged into water bodies are
deposited in bottom sediments incorporated into organic matter. Here bacteria decompose organic matter, through
oxygen and sulphate reduction, liberating nitrogen and phosphorus to pore water and overlying water (Kiely, 1998;
Parry, 2002).

Phosphorus exchanges with bottom sediment. It is one of the key elements in aquatic chemistry and is thought to be
limiting nutrient in the growth of algae under many conditions. Exchange with sediments play a role in making
phosphorus available for algae and therefore contributes to eutrophication (Manahan, 2001). He also reported that in
some waters receiving heavy load of domestic or industrial wastes, inorganic polyphosphate for example, from
detergents may be present in sediment. Runoff from fields where liquid polyphosphate fertilizer has been used might
possibly provide polyphosphates sorbed in sediment.

Nitrite, ammonia and ammonium are minor nutrients and had high values. They are also transported from land to
water in runoff and now become deposited in the sediment. Ammonia had been observed to be responsible for
reducing nitrate to nitrite (Manahan, 2001).

The pollution of the river sediment by the exchangeable cations and anionic pollutants is therefore attributed to the
industrial effluents from the industries operating within the vicinity of the river.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I sincerely thank the management and staff of Quality Control andTesting Laboratories Limited and my wife
Virginia C. Eze and children Chukwuemeka, Nneoma and Ugochukwu for their co-operation, assistance and
understanding in ensuring the completion of this work.

REFERENCES
Agwung-Fobellah, D. (2007). Research Orientation and Thesis Compilation: A Guide for Biological and Health
Sciences, Ark of Wisdom Publishers, Aba, Nigeria; 172 – 183.

American Public Health Association (APHA), (1998).Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater,
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Ezeala, D.O. (1984). Changes in the nutritional quality of fermented cassava tuber meal, Journal of Agricultural
Food Chemistry; 32: 487 – 469.

Eze, V.C. and G. C .Okpokwasili, (2008). Ecodynamics Of Exchangeable Cations and Organic Pollutants in a Niger
Delta River receiving Industrial Effluents, Continental Journal of Applied Sciences; 3: 103- 113

Izonfuo, L.W.A. and Bariweni, A.P. (2001). The effects of urban runoff water and human activities on some
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Joanne, M.W., Linda, M.S. and Christopher, J.W. (2007). P rescott, Harley and Klein’s Microbiology, 7th edition,
McGraw-Hill Company, New York; 628 – 664.

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Kiely, G. (1998). Environmental Engineering, International edition, McGraw-Hill International Limited, London,
UK.

Manahan, S.E. (2001). Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry, 2nd edition, CRC Press Ltd., Florida; 124 – 129.

Parashiva-Murthy, A.S. and P errel, R.E. Jr. ( 1972). Distribution of major Cations in Estuarine
Sediments; Class and Clay Minerals; 21: 161 -129.

Parry, D.I. (2002). Southern Gulf Environmental Information Program sediments in an estuary in Sierra Leone,
West Africa, Marine Biology; 35:275 – 286.

Purcel, P. (2005). Principles of Environmental Microbiology, Parenties Publishers Ltd, Ghana; 98 – 115.

Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), (1986). Street Guide of Port Harcourt.

Tesarova, M (1976). Litter production and disappearance in some alluvial meadows (preliminary results), Folia,
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Received for Publication: 26/05/2010

Accepted for Publication: 20/06/2010

Corresponding Author:
Eze, V.C.
Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt

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