Analysis of Physicochemical Parameters of Effluents Discharged from a Textile Factory in Kaduna, North West Nigeria

Industrial textile manufacturing generates effluents containing dyes, salts, surfactants, and suspended solids that, when inadequately treated, pose serious risks to receiving water bodies and downstream communities. This study analyses the physicochemical characteristics of effluents collected from three discharge points of a textile processing factory in Kaduna, North West Nigeria. Parameters assessed include pH, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, and concentrations of chromium and copper. Sample collection is conducted during morning, afternoon, and evening production shifts to capture diurnal variability in effluent composition. A reference sample from the receiving river upstream of the discharge point is included for baseline comparison. Results are compared against Federal Ministry of Environment effluent discharge standards and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency limits to determine regulatory compliance. Statistical analysis using descriptive measures and paired t-tests assesses differences across sampling times and discharge points. The study is expected to demonstrate elevated chemical oxygen demand and heavy metal loads characteristic of textile dyeing operations. Findings contribute to environmental compliance monitoring and provide practical data for designing more effective effluent treatment protocols in the textile sector of northern Nigeria. Keywords: textile effluent, physicochemical parameters, Kaduna, water pollution, industrial discharge