ABSTRACT
This study focused on the comparative assessment of the environmental dynamics of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) in water samples obtained from three wetlands in northern Nigeria. The levels of nitrogen and phosphorus were determined using the persulphate wet-oxidation method. The samples were taken in the dry and wet seasons. The average values for DON and DOP obtained ranged from 9.49±1.83 mg/l to 21.8±14.7 mg/l and 1.65±0.38 mg/l to 6.11±0.58 mg/l respectively. The values obtained for DON during the dry and wet seasons for Jebba, Matara-Uku, Lokoja, and Nguru were 14.1±3.92, 13.7±3.43, 21.0±5.04, 21.8±14.7, 7.14±2.40 and 13.9±1.97, 11.3±2.62, 9.59±1.46, 9.49±1.83, 11.1±1.78 mg/l respectively. The mean values for DOP were 1.85±0.07, 2.60±0.55, 2.65±0.31, 2.52±0.46, 1.65±0.38 and 3.70±0.16, 5.55±0.24, 6.11±0.58, 4.93±0.90, 3.65±0.37 mg/l in the dry and wet seasons respectively. The DON concentrations were significantly higher in the dry season while the DOP concentrations were significantly higher in the wet season. This dynamics was attributed to run off from agricultural farm lands, hydrology and the rate of utilization of these nutrients by water plants. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), of the data confirmed this observed significant difference at (p
Key words: Keywords: Dissolved organic nitrogen, dissolved organic phosphorus, dissolved organic matter, wetlands
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