Assessment of Water Quality Parameters of Kpeshie Lagoon of Ghana

Abstract

A study was carried out on the Kpeshi Lagoon to identify the chemical and physical characteris- tics of the water. A lot of industrial activities are carried out around the Lagoon and it is being gradually turned into a place of refuse damp. Standard methods were used for determining of chemical and physical characteristics of water samples. Trace metal ions were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The lagoon recorded mean pH and conductivity values of 6.32± 2.20 and 87.31 ms/cm±19.14 respectively. Nutrient and organic matter were found to be the most frequent cause of pollution of the lagoon with mean sulphate, nitrate and phosphate concentra- tions of 11852 mg/l±2915.08, 2905.71 mg/l±616.52 and 487.14 mg/l±257.02 respectively. Iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) recorded the highest concentration of 13.2 mg/l±3.47 and 13.6 mg/l± 4.29 respectively in water sample. Fish sample revealed calcium and potassium as having the highest concentration of 15709 mg/kg±75.35 and 5999.94 mg/kg±87.30 respectively with sodium and aluminum recording 3775.70 mg/kg± 24.80 and 708.47mg/kg ± 4.95 respectively. The re- sults as compared to the WHO guidelines indicate that the Lagoon is highly contaminated