Effluent treatment efficiency and compliance monitoring in Nigerian petrochemical industries

The effectiveness of effluent treatment at the Eleme Petrochemical Industry, Port Harcourt, Nigeria was monitored weekly for six weeks to assess their level of compliance with the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) guidelines and standards for environmental safety. Effluent samples were taken from the untreated and treated ponds and analyzed. The results showed that generally there has been a measure of effectiveness of treatment, but that maintenance of compliance with the DPR standards has not been so successful. High pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solid (TDS), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and cadmium concentrations still recorded in the treated and about-to-be discharge effluent. These could lead to dangerous consequences on water life downstream of the discharge point. The need for effluent treatment and continuous monitoring of treatment plants is once more highlighted; for only in that way can the safety of water resources environment be guaranteed in the industrial regions of Nigeria.Keywords: Industrial effluent, petrochemicals, downstream, environmental monitoring