Bacteriological and Physicochemical Assessment of Tannery Effluents from Chalawa Industrial Area, Kano State, Nigeria

Usman Ali Bukar1, Abdullahi Hassan Kawo2, Sani Yahaya2, and Abdullahi Balarabe Inuwa2

1Department of Microbiology, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
2Department of Microbiology, Bayero University Kano, Kano State, Nigeria

*Corresponding author’s Email: uthmaniyyer@gmail.com, doi.org/10.55639/607.02010062


ABSTRACT

This study assessed bacterial load and physicochemical parameters of tannery effluents in Chalawa industrial area, Kano State, Nigeria, and compared findings with WHO/NESREA standards. Effluent samples were analyzed for bacterial counts, pH, temperature, BOD, DO, TDS, TSS, and heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Pb, Ni) using standard procedures. Bacterial counts ranged from 3.7×10⁴ to 5.1×10⁴ CFU/ml, while a control fish pond effluent recorded 4.1×10⁶ CFU/ml. Physicochemical analyses revealed alkaline pH values up to 12.10, Cr concentrations of 20.45–29.37 mg/L, Cd up to 0.009 mg/L, Pb up to 0.136
mg/L, and Ni up to 0.484 mg/L, all exceeding WHO/NESREA limits. These findings indicate significant environmental and health risks associated with untreated tannery effluents, highlighting the need for advanced treatment technologies and stricter policy enforcement.

Keywords:

Bacterial load,
Tannery effluent
Physicochemical
parameters,
Heavy metals.