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Effects of effluent discharges from a cement factory on the ecology of macroinvertebrates in an Afrotropical river

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Abstract

Cement factory waste water impacts on the ecology of macroinvertebrate assemblages of the Oinyi River, North Central area of Nigeria, were evaluated bi-monthly for 1 year as part of a study to understand the effects of pollution processes in the lotic system that may initiate the development of policy and improved regulation. Three sampling stations, each 100 m long, were selected along 11-km stretch of the river. Station 1, located upstream of the discharge point from the cement factory plant; station 2, immediately downstream of the effluent discharge point; and station 3, 4 km downstream, were sampled. The waste water from the cement effluent factory impacted negatively on the water chemistry by elevating the levels of some heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Cu, and Ni), and other physicochemical parameters such as turbidity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), conductivity, and total suspended solid. A total of 81 macroinvertebrate taxa combined were recorded from the river. The community structure, diversity, and abundance depicted distinct variation between the effluent-impacted site, and the upstream station as the most sensitive macroinvertebrate taxa such as Neoperla and Cheumatopsyche species was completely missing from the effluent-impacted site. The preponderance of some dipteran taxa (Tanypus sp., Eristalis tenax, Simulum sp., Empis sp., and Atherix sp.) and drastic reduction in the Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera (EPT) organisms in the impacted station is an indication that the chemical components of the cement effluent waste water were lethal to some aquatic forms. Extrapolations from canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) results revealed that turbidity, conductivity, BOD, orthophosphate-phosphorus, and heavy metals were strongly associated with the impacted station. Generally, the community structure of station 1 was more diverse with more sensitive taxa, different from those of stations 2 and 3, which were prone to intense human activities. The need for careful consideration of the water quality and indicator organisms is important for restoration of this river.

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Acknowledgements

This study was self-sponsored as funds were not available for its full execution. Thanks to the technical staff of both Delta State University Abraka and Federal University of Technology Minna for assisting in water quality testing and collection of aquatic organisms in the field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B, Minna, 65, Nigeria

    Francis O. Arimoro & Unique N. Keke

  2. Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Delta State University, P.M.B. 1, Abraka, Nigeria

    Francis K. Meme

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  1. Francis O. Arimoro
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  2. Francis K. Meme
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  3. Unique N. Keke
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FOA designed the study, performed data analysis, and wrote the manuscript. FKM designed the study and performed the sample collection. UNK wrote and edited the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Francis O. Arimoro.

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Arimoro, F.O., Meme, F.K. & Keke, U.N. Effects of effluent discharges from a cement factory on the ecology of macroinvertebrates in an Afrotropical river. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 53444–53457 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14514-0

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