This study assessed the effects of Brewery effluent on the properties of Bryophyllum pinnatum. The experiment was conducted inside a screen house in the Botanical garden of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The plantlets were watered with six concentrations of Brewery effluent concentrations (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%) at two days intervals for 12 weeks. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and significant means separated using Least Significant Difference Test. The result of the physicochemical parameters showed that the pH (7.71±0.05), Total Dissolved Solid (2.55±0.50), Total Solid (29.31±0.22), Biological Oxygen Demand (1.97±0.12), Chemical Oxygen Demand (49.97±6.00) and Dissolved Solids (3.00±0.15) are within WHO and NESREA permissible standard limit while Total Suspended Solids (26.76±0.26) and Turbidity (38.80±11.70) were above the standard limits. The soil chemical properties after the experiment showed a significant difference in the pH (6.53), N (1.30), P (18.60), K (2.23), and Ca (0.23) levels across the different treatments. The mean values for the accumulation of the heavy metals revealed that copper (5.53±0.04), zinc (16.65±0.30), nickel (13.19±0.026), lead (0.77±0.003), and iron (68.00±0.00) except cadmium (33.32±0.57) were below WHO/ FAO permissible standard limits. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and phenolic compounds in both treated and control plants. It is therefore recommended that Brewery effluent should not be discharged directly into the water bodies and their surroundings, but used as an alternative to mineral fertilizers.
Osayi et al. (Sun,) studied this question.