Discharge of Emerging Contaminant Laden Effluents by Industries in Nigeria - A Review

Abstract

Industrialization in Nigeria has resulted in the production of diverse products by various industries engaged in the production of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, textiles, paints and varnishes, soaps and detergents, foods and beverages, agro-chemicals and textiles. Effluents from these industries are the most probable sources of emerging contaminants in the Nigerian environment. However, despite the awareness of the existence and effects of conventional pollutants associated with industrial wastewater discharge, there is low level of awareness of the harmful effects of emerging contaminants (ECs) in industrial wastewaters discharged into the environment in Nigeria. In order to raise the level of awareness and elicit appropriate discharge compliance by industries, this review of industrial effluents generation and disposal by some selected industries who produce ECs was carried out. An outcome of the review is the dearth of current information on the volume of wastewater generated by industries in Nigeria and the non-existence of environmental policies or laws on ECs. Recommendations were made on the future research areas on ECs in Nigeria.