Physico-chemical analysis of water sources in ubeji community and their histological impact on organs of albino mice

Petroleum activities serve to be one of the many sources of pollution in the environment. This study investigated various water sources of water around the Warri refinery and petrochemical company petroleum refining company. Water sources used for this study include stream, tap and well water. Some standard physiochemical parameters and heavy metals were analyzed in this water Samples. Mice were exposed orally to various water samples, 28 days after which the liver, spleen and kidney were surgically removed for histopathological analysis. The pH ranged between 4.66 and 6.85 in all samples, heavy metals like Fe, Pb, Cd, Cu and Ni were also determined with most values falling within WHO and FEPA standards. However, Fe level in tap water (2.32mg/l) was higher than the WHO and FEPA desirable limit for drinking of 0.1mg/l and 0.05mg/l respectively. Nickel level in river and discharge point (0.14mg/l and 0.16mg/l respectively) were also higher than the WHO limit (0.05mg/l) for water bodies. The histopathology of the kidney of albino mice exposed to all samples showed moderate and mild congestion of interstitial blood vessels, the liver showed moderate congestion of interstitial blood vessel of renal cortex and necrosis of hepatocytes in mice exposed to DP and WWII, the others showed no significant lesion. Spleen of albino mice exposed to all samples showed no significant lesion and all organs of albino mice exposed to DW also showed no significant lesion. From the histopathology investigation, it is shown that petroleum effluents in water samples have negative impact on organs of albino mice and this therefore serves as a signal of warning to the human populace. Petroleum refinery effluents should therefore be treated properly before discharge into the environment.