Heavy metals and anions content of treated and untreated waste water samples from Wupa sewage treatment plant Abuja

Treated and untreated wastewater samples from Wupa Sewage Treatment Plant Idu Research and Industrial Layout Abuja were analyzed to determine the concentrations of Cd, Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn and anions like sulphate, chloride, nitrate and phosphate. Heavy metal analyses were performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Mean heavy metal contents i.e. Zn, Cu, Fe, Cd and Pb in water samples reduced from 0.13 to 0.05 mg/l, 0.05 to 0.02 mg/l, 0.82 to 0.22 mg/l, 0.001 to 0.0002 mg/l, and 0.001 to 0 mg/l respectively before and after treatment. There was decrease in phosphate, chloride and sulphate concentration after treatment with increase in nitrate and nitrate concentration after treatment, suggesting the plant might be inefficient in nitrate and nitrate treatment.