Research Article

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF HARVESTED RAINWATER QUALITY FROM DIFFERENT ROOFING MATERIALS IN PETROLEUM PRODUCING COMMUNITY, EGBEMA, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Gwuorah, A.U.1*, Egbu, A.U2, Eze, M.U.3, Nwaugo, V.C.4
1 Dept of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Arts and Science, Port Harcourt
2 Dept of Urban and Regional Planning, Abia State University, Uturu
3 Dept of Estate Management, Abia State University, Utnru.
4 Dept of Microbiology, ABia State University, Uturu
* Corresponding author: nwaugovonwaugo@yahoo.com
Published: Dec, 2015
DOI: 10.67614/njm.2015.fxmsf81h
Pages: 2972-2984

Abstract

A comparative study of the quality of rain water from different roofing materials was carried out in Egbema, an oil producing community in Rivers State. While SO4, P04, NO3, turbidity and hardness of the rain water samples were more in asbestos and concrete roofs, the metallic ions, Zn, Fe, Al. Mn and Pb were statistically (p=0.05) more in corrugated iron and aluminum roofs which also had higher conductivity. Higher acidity was observed in the gas flaring area (Ebocha) compared to Okwuzi, 3-4km away. This resulted in greater cation and anions in the rain water from Ebocha compared to Okwuzi (P = 0.05). Seasonal effects showed that higher values where obtained from the occasional rains of the dry season, followed by the early rainy season rain water samples while the least were in the mid rainy season rain water. Values from the late rains of rainy season were not statistically (P = 0.05) higher than the mid rainy season ones, though they were slightly higher. More fungal count, were recorded during the dry periods, followed by the heterotrophic bacteria with the least being the coliforms. Higher microbial counts were found in the asbestos, followed by the concrete roofs before the corrugated iron roofs and then the aluminum roofs. The above observations were attributed to the acid rain formation due to the gas flaring activities at Ebocha. Rainwater from the Egbema communities was therefore not potable and safe for drinking purposes.

Keywords

Egbema Oil Dry season Acid Rain

References

  1. Babalola, J.O. (1990). Coping with water supply demands and growth in the 1990s. Water Res. J. Nig. Assoc. Hydrogel 2(1):26-30.
  2. Babalalo, J.O. (1997). Rural water supply: Issues, problems and prospects. Water Res. J. Nig. Assoc. Hydrogel 8(1):19-25.
  3. Beddoes, R.F. and Dorner, H.U. (2005). Modeling acid attack on concrete. Part I. The essential mechanisms. Cement Concrete Res 35: 2333-2339.
  4. Campapiano, A.; Ranies, D.; Zakrzewska, M.A.; Ferri, R.; D'annibale, and Pizzutellli, G. (2009). Risk assessment of the decay of Asbestos cement roofs. Am. Occup. Hyg. 53 (6) 623-638.
  5. Cheesbrough, M. (2005). District Laboratory Practice in Tropical Countries, Low Price Ed. Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom.
  6. Efe, S.I. (2006). Quality of rain water harvesting for rural communities of Delta State, Nigeria. The Environ 26(3): 175-181.
  7. Favero-Longo, S.E.; Siniscalo, C.; Piervittori, R. (2006). Interactions of sterile-cultured Lichen-forming ascmyuates with asbestos fibre. Mycol Res. 111:473-481.
  8. Graedel, T.E. (1994). Effects of emissions to the atmosphere on materials and cultural artifacts. In V. Calvert (Ed). The chemistry of the atmosphere: Its impacts on Global Change, Blackwell, Oxford. 42-65.
  9. Guthrie, J., Battat, B. and Grethlein, C. (2002). Accelerated corrosion testing. AMFTIAC. Quarterly 6(3) 11-15.
  10. Haneef, S.; Dickinson, C. and Johnson, J. (1999). Effects of air pollution on historic buildings and monuments and the scientific basis for conservation, Corrosion and Protection Center, University of Manchester Report on a Research Project Support by the Commission of the European Community.
  11. Kuruvillo, A.K. (1999). Life prediction and performance assurance of structural materials in corrosive Environments – A State of the Arts-Report. Advanced Materials and Processes Technology Information Analysis Centre, Falls Chruch 1999.
  12. Lien, L.T.; Sam, P.T. and Hong, H.L. (2007). Results of studying atmospheric corrosion in Vietnam 1995-2005. Sc. Technol Advanced Materials 8(788):552-558.
  13. Nduka, J.; Orisakwe, O.; Ezenwoke, L.; Ezenwa, T.; Chendo, M. and Ezeabosli, N. (2008). Acid rain phenomenon in Niger Delta region of Nigeria: Economic, Biodiversity and Public Health Concern. The Sci., World J. 8:811-818.
  14. Narvaisiene, R.; Miniotaite, R. and Stankevicius, V. (2003). Climate and air pollution effects on building facades. Mat. Sci. 9 (1):931-8.
  15. Natesan, M.S.; Selvaraj, T.; Manickam and Venkatachari (2008). Corrosion behaviour of metals and alloys in marine industrial environment. Sci. Technol Advanced Materials 9(4):615-626.
  16. Nwaichi, E.O. and Uzazobona, M.A. (2011). Estimation of the CO2 level due to gas flaring in Nigeria Delta. Res. j. Environ. Sci. 5:565-572.
  17. Nwankwo, C.N. and Ogagarue, D.O. (2011). Effects of Gas flaring on surface and ground waters in Delta State, Nigeria. J. Geo Min. Res. 3(5): 131-136.
  18. Nwaogo, V.O.; Onyeagba, R.A. and Nwachukwu, N.C. (2006). Effect of gas flaring on soil Microbial spectrum in parts of Niger Delta area of Southern Nigeria. Afr J Biotech 5 (19) 1524-182.
  19. Nwaogo, V.O., Chima, G.N., Elekwa, I. and Inyang, C. U (2009). Evaluation of surface water quality in heavy metal mining of Ishiagu, South Eastern Nigeria. J Sci Eng Technol 16(2): 8781 – 8794.
  20. Nwaogo, V.O., Chima, G.N., Elekwa, I. and I.S. Onwuchekwa (2009a). Comparative assessment of domestic water supply sources in Ishiagu, a heavy metal mining community in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. J Appl Sci 12 (2):8473 – 8486.
  21. Nwaogo, V.O., Chima, G.N., Elekwa, I. and Inyang, C.U (2009b). Evaluation of surface water supply in Heavy Metal Mining area of Ishiagu, South eastern Nigeria. J. Eng. Sci Tech 16(2):8187-8190.
  22. Nwaogo, V.O.; Egbu, A.U.; Odu, N.N. and Ogbonna, C.E. (2011). Impact of Metal Mining on Domestic Water Quality in Ishiagu and its Environs, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. ABSU J.EST. 1(1): 62-71.
  23. Obia, A.E. and Obot, I.O. (2010). Atmospheric corrosion of metallic roofing sheet in building construction in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. J. Environ. Issues Agric Dev. Countries 2(283) 117-124.
  24. Obia, A.E.; Okon, H.E.; Ekum, S.A. and Eyo-Ita, E.E. (2011). The influence of gas flare particulates and rainfall on the corrosion of galvanized steel roofs in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. J. Environ. Protect. 2:1341-1546.
  25. Ojeh, V.N. (2012). Sustainable development and gas flaring activities: A case study of Ebedei area of Ukwuani LGA, Delta State. Res. Environ. 2(4):169-174.
  26. Olaoye, R.A. and Olaniyan, O.S. (2012). Quality of rain water from different roof materials. Int. J. Eng. Technol. 2 (8): 1413-1421.
  27. Pelczar, M., Chan, E.I. S. and Kriegi, N.R. (2003). Microbiology of the soil and atmosphere: Concept and application in Microbiology. McGraw-Hills. Inc U.S.A.
  28. Prescott, L.M., Harley, J.P. and Klein, D. A. (2003). Microbiology 6th edition. McGraw-Hill Education. United States.
  29. Schmitt, O. (2000). Wood and Tree fungi Biology, Damage, Protection and Use. Springer Berlain Heidelberg Verlag.
  30. Tawari, C.C. and Abowei, J.F.N. (2012). Air pollution in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. Int. J. Fish Aquat. Sci. 1(2):94-117.
  31. Tridell, A.; Mikihler, A.; and Kucera, V. (2000). Acid deposition effect on materials in subtropical countries: Data compilation and temperate climate comparison. Sec report 2000: 8E. Swedish Corrosion Institute, Stockholm, 2000.
  32. Ubouh, U.E. (2002). Spatial and temporal variations of acid rain formations in selected oil producing communities in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Cand. J. Sci. Indust. Res 3(4): 193-206.
  33. UNEP (2004). United Nation Environmental programme, Analytical methods for Environmental Water Supply. Global Environmental Monitoring System with international Atomic Energy Agency, Canada.
  34. Van-Metre, P.C. and Mahler, B.J. (2003). The contributions of particles washed from rooftops to contaminant loading to urban streams. Chemosphere 52(10):1727-1741.
  35. Watanabe, T. (2002). Pictorial Atlas of Soil and Seed fungi: morphologies of cultured fungi and key to species. 2nd edition. Boca Raton, CRC Press.
  36. Webster, J. and Weber, R. (2007). Introduction to fungi. 3rd edition. New York, Cambridge University Press.
  37. Weiner, E. R. (2007). Applications of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry. A practical guide. Boca Raton, USA CRC Press.
  38. WHO (2007). World Health Organisation. International drinking water standards, 3rd edition. Geneva.
How to Cite

A.U., G., A.U, E., M.U., E., & V.C., N. (2015). COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF HARVESTED RAINWATER QUALITY FROM DIFFERENT ROOFING MATERIALS IN PETROLEUM PRODUCING COMMUNITY, EGBEMA, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA. Nigerian Journal of Microbiology, 29(2), 2972-2984. https://doi.org/10.67614/njm.2015.fxmsf81h

G. A.U., E. A.U, E. M.U., and N. V.C., "COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF HARVESTED RAINWATER QUALITY FROM DIFFERENT ROOFING MATERIALS IN PETROLEUM PRODUCING COMMUNITY, EGBEMA, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA," Nigerian Journal of Microbiology, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 2972-2984, December 2015. doi: 10.67614/njm.2015.fxmsf81h

Share this article:
Facebook X / Twitter LinkedIn
Download PDF View Full Text (PDF) Back to Articles