The study was conducted at Abakaliki, the capital city of Ebonyi State, and aimed at assessing the effect of abattoir effluent on Iyiokwu River in Garki mini market. The analysis was done at the beginning of rainy season (April 2017). In order to achieve set objectives, five sampling locations were chosen; they are WQ50, WQ₀, WQ₁₀₀, WQ₁₅₀and WQ₂₀₀ respectively. Some parameters were selected based on their relative importance to abattoir effluent composition and analyzed for physicochemical and microbiological characteristics. These parameters include: Colour (pcu), Odour, Temperature (0°C), Turbidity (NTU), Conductivity (µs/cm), Total Solid (mg/l), Total Dissolved Solid (mg/l), Total suspended solid (mg/l), pH, Cl⁻ (mg/l), SO₄⁻² (mg/l), P0₄^-3 (mg/l)_, P (mg/l), Ca⁺ (mg/l), Mg⁺ (mg/l), CaC0₃(mg/l), N0^-₃ (mg/l)_,N0^-₃N, total organic carbon (%), NH₃ (mg/l), NH₃^-N(mg/l), Pb (mg/l), Cu (mg/l), Ni (mg/l), As (mg/l), and Fe (mg/l). Total Heterotrophic Bacteria Count (cfu), Total Salmonella Shigella Count (cfu), Total Coliform Count (cfu), Total Heterotrophic Fungal Count (cfu), and Total E. coli Count (cfu). The measurement location WQ₀ which is the point of discharge has the highest concentration of most of the parameters ranging from temperature as a physical characteristic, to chemical oxygen demand as a chemical characteristic and then to total coliform count as a biological characteristic. Although there was a gradual decrease in the concentration of the parameters from sample point WQ₀ downstream, this may be as a result of dispersion along the river flow path. At measurement location WQ₂₀₀ there was a sudden and sharp increase in some tested parameters such as SO₃, Ni, NO₃, and N0^-₃N. This may be because of the waste dump site that runs off into Iyiokwu River at this particular point. The tested result showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) when Turbidity, Conductivity, TDS, TSS, Colour, Temperature, pH, Sulphate, Phosphate, Calcium, Magnesium, DO, E. coli, THFC, THBC, TSSC, and TCC measurements at the discharge point (WQ₀)were compared with the measurements at the control point (WQ₅₀)and also with the WHO permissible limit. It is recommended that abattoir waste be segregated before discharging into the stream, and it is advised that the discharge point be avoided as a source of domestic water supply. The liquid waste can be a source of biogas, while the solid waste can serve as manure.

Nneka Genevieve Ali