The environmental and health impacts of untreated tannery wastewater in Naraguta, Nigeria are severe and demand urgent attention. While tanneries are vital for the economy, providing raw materials for industries like footwear and fashion, their operations often cause significant ecological and public health crises. But here’s where it gets controversial: most existing studies focus solely on isolated pollution indicators like BOD and COD, overlooking the complex, cumulative risks posed by multiple pollutants working together.
In many developing countries, inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure and lax enforcement of environmental standards lead to vast quantities of untreated effluents entering water bodies. These effluents are laden with hazardous substances—including heavy metals like chromium, sulfides, organic chemicals, and microbial pathogens—which cumulatively degrade aquatic ecosystems. This results in decreased dissolved oxygen, biodiversity loss, and long-term ecological damage. For neighboring communities, exposure to contaminated water and crops escalates risks of waterborne diseases, organ damage, developmental issues, and even cancers. And this is the part most people miss: biological contaminants such as helminth eggs and E. coli often exceed safety limits by large margins—highlighting the failure of sanitation and effluent management systems.
Despite prior research highlighting contamination levels, many lack comprehensive methods to unravel the complex interactions and long-term risks of multiple pollutants. This is primarily due to the absence of advanced statistical tools capable of capturing cumulative effects. To bridge this gap, our study employs a data-driven, multi-index approach integrating pollution indices like Pollution Index (PI), Contamination Index (CI), Geo-Accumulation Index (I_geo), alongside health risk metrics such as the Environmental Hazard Index (EHI) and Health Risk Index (HRI). This comprehensive framework allows us to evaluate contamination severity, identify pollution sources—whether anthropogenic or natural—and prioritize high-risk areas for intervention.
A distinctive feature of our research is the application of multivariate statistical techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA). These models help identify key pollutants and discern pollution patterns that conventional methods might miss. Coupled with spatial mapping, these analyses offer policymakers a clear understanding of pollution hotspots and temporal trends, guiding more targeted and effective management strategies.
Our study’s scope extends beyond typical parameters, including sediment contamination, bioaccumulation potential, and long-term ecological threats—factors crucial for formulating sound environmental policies. Through this integrated, evidence-based approach, we aspire to influence regulatory practices, promote sustainable wastewater management, and protect both ecosystem integrity and human health. Overall, the findings call for urgent investment in low-cost, eco-friendly remediation techniques such as bioaugmentation, constructed wetlands, and adsorption systems using biochar—especially pertinent in resource-constrained settings. Furthermore, encouraging wastewater reuse and element recovery within a circular economy framework can foster environmental and economic benefits.
In conclusion, this research underscores the critical need for coordinated efforts among government agencies, academia, and industry to improve industrial waste regulation, deploy effective treatment solutions, and promote environmental sustainability. We challenge stakeholders and the public to consider: how much longer can we ignore the silent, yet deadly, risks of untreated tannery effluents? Are we doing enough to safeguard our water resources and public health in developing regions? The time to act is now.