Impacts of agricultural poultry farming on water and sediment qualities

Abstract

Environmental risks and nuisances are associated with poultry farm operations leading to impairment of water and sediment qualities. This study was conducted to assess the effects of poultry farm wastes on water and sediment qualities of Alakata stream in Abeokuta, Nigeria. The Stream was monitored for six months and evaluated for physical and chemical parameters using standard procedures. Ten sampling stations were established; two points before the poultry farm site (controls) upstream while the remaining eight points were selected from the poultry farm downstream at a regular interval. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS 15.0. Results of water quality showed that total solids in control 1, and electrical conductivity in control 2 (samples collected before the poultry discharge point) were significantly lower than the values obtained at the discharge point. Sediment samples were also collected and analyzed for important parameters. Sediment's data exhibited higher mean values organic matter, total kjeldahl nitrogen, sodium and potassium at the poultry discharge point downstream relative to the control samples. The study revealed that water and sediment quality of the study stream had been impaired by the poultry farm operation. The principal component analysis was used to identify the pollution sources of the Stream.