Abstract

SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF DISSOLVED PHOSPHATES IN WATER: CASE STUDY OF RIVERS IN SAGAMU TOWNSHIP

Fagbohun A. B.*, Oluwasanmi A. O. and Olaitan O. J.

ABSTRACT

A reproducible and accurate colorimetric method of analysis for the determination of organic phosphates in water was reported. The dissolved organic phosphate (D.O.P.) concentration in the river water was obtained as the difference between the total dissolved phosphate (T.D.P.) and the dissolved inorganic phosphate (D.I.P.). The T.D.P. was analysed us at a wavelength of 710nm using the Koroleff method. The values of the D.O.P.s (μmol/dm3) obtained for the river when compared graphically to the standard were low. Majopa, Aiyegbami and OOUTH rivers at 3μmol/dm3 had absorption values of 0.03, 0.03 and 0.04 respectively which was lower than the standard value of 0.11. Also, at 4μmol/dm3, it was found that Majopa and Aiyegbami had 0.05 while OOUTH had 0.02 compared with the standard 0.04. The low values of the D.O.P. obtained are due to the phytoplankton extinction which causes a decline in excretion of organic metabolites.

Keywords: Colorimetric Analysis, Phosphates, Water.