Abattoir effluents crisis: groundwater pollution reality and adverse environmental impact in Umuahia South and Aba South, Nigeria

The study examined how abattoir effluent discharge affects groundwater quality and the environment in Umuahia South and Aba South, Nigeria. Twenty-seven groundwater samples were taken upstream, midstream, and downstream for duration of six months. Standard techniques and influential statistics in SPSS were used to analyze parameters (pH, Cl⁻, TSS, TDS, NH₄N, NO₃⁻, EC, PO₄, and SO₄²⁻). Hence, in Umuahia South, mean values of pH (9.72 ± 0.08), Cl⁻ (279.06 ± 76.63 to 329.58 ± 77.39), TSS (915.84 ± 12.13 to 1178.33 ± 85.70), TDS (604.62 ± 46.16 to 707.46 ± 17.21), NH₄N (13.75 ± 1.07 to 16.93 ± 1.38), and PO₄ (33.55 ± 1.06 to 36.47 ± 0.66) exceeded WHO limits. While in Aba South, mean values of pH (9.44 ± 0.05), Cl⁻ (345.43 ± 76.75 to 495.96 ± 9.60), TSS (1488.28 ± 36.65 to 1673.26 ± 83.00), TDS (766.89 ± 39.40 to 981.66 ± 50.89), NH₄N (11.72 ± 0.55 to 13.63 ± 0.54), PO₄ (27.64 ± 4.08 to 39.14 ± 1.18) were above recommended standard. There was a significant difference between Cl⁻, TSS, TDS, NH₄N, NO₃⁻, EC, and SO₄² at P-value <0.05 across the study area. There is a substantial positive association between pH (TDS, NH₄N, PO₄, Cl⁻), Cl⁻ (EC, PO₄), TSS (NH₄N, NO₃⁻), TDS and NH₄N (EC, PO₄, Cl⁻), and NO₃⁻ and EC (PO₄ pH (TDS, NO₃⁻), Cl⁻ (EC, PO₄), TSS (SO₄²), TDS, NH4N (NO₃⁻), and NO₃⁻ (PO₄) in Umuahia South and Aba South. Finally, abattoir water should be sanitized before use. Therefore, the state environmental protection agency should actively supervise slaughterhouses and assure health and safety compliance.