ABSTRACT

Determination of some physico – chemical parameters of water from River Ethiope in Delta State, Nigeria was done at three stations along its course (Sapele, Eku and Umutu) from April 2017 – March 2018. Water samples collected once a month between the hours of 7:00am – 9:30am from the sampling stations were examined in situ for surface water temperature and transparency, and in the laboratory for their pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, total alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, phosphates and nitrates. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance, and means separated using Duncan’s multiple range test. There was no significant (p>0.05) influence of location on all the physico-chemical parameters except transparency, which was significant lower in Sapele than in Eku and Umutu. Overall means obtained were as follows: surface water temperature, 26.22^oC; transparency, 151.81cm; pH, 6.11; conductivity, 18.65µscm¹; dissolved oxygen, 6.18mg/l; biological oxygen demand, 0.94mg/l; total dissolved solids 2.14mg/l; total alkalinity, 105.12mg/l; calcium, 11.15mg/l; magnesium, 19.05mg/l; phosphates, 2.32mg/l, and nitrates, 0.44mg/l. It was concluded that the physico – chemical parameters of the river were within tolerable limits for the survival and growth of aquatic organisms.