THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF NOODLES PLANT EFFLUENT IN ABA, ABIA STATE NIGERIA; EFFECTS ON HUMAN AND THE ENVIRONMENT

The noodles plant effluent in Aba metropolis filled in a dug pit affects the water quality and increases the pollution load of underground water. This study evaluated the physicochemical properties of effluents from noodles plant in Aba metropolis and its possible effect on the environment and humans. The impact of a premix solution on the rain water filled in the pit (sample B) and sample B plus a rancid Refined bleached deodorized palm oil (sample C) were compared to rain water filled in the pit alone (sample A). The following results were observed to be significant when compared to the effluent limitation guidelines in Nigeria for all categories of industries; the pH, the total dissolved solids (TDS) and the alkalinity were all significant with 10.07±0.01ºC , 770±3.16 and 210±0.30 respectively for sample B. The nitrate level of sample A; 51.8±0.03 was significantly (p<0.05) higher than sample B. The biological oxygen demand (BOD5) of sample C (3.90±0.00) was significantly (p<0.05) lower than results of sample A (30.50±0.10) and B (86.00±0.05); indicating that the area may be polluted. Hence constant monitoring of the underground water within the area should be paramount and a treatment plant be made in place to ameliorate the pollution level.