Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Agricultural Soils of Teskelewu Community and Environs Impacted By Gas Flaring in Delta State, Nigeria

A.A Enuneku,B Kubeyinje

doi:10.4314/jasem.v23i10.15

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are emerging ubiquitous environmental pollutants with reported carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic potentials on living organisms and humans. The objective of this study was to assess the concentrations of PAHs in agricultural soils of Tsekelewu Community and environs (Egbema Kingdom) in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria impacted by gas flaring using gas chromatograph system Agilent 5890 Series 11 gas chromatograph equipped with Flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The results revealed that station 1 and 2 were fairly contaminated; with mean total PAH concentration of 236.40 μg/kg and 279.75 μg/kg respectively. Stations 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9 having mean total PAH concentration of 692.45μg/kg, 726.22 μg/kg, 739.82 μg/kg, 609.38 μg/kg, and 772.99 μg/kg were moderately contaminated. Heavy contamination was recorded in station 5 and station 8 with mean PAH concentrations of 1231.08μg/kg and 1224.33 μg/kg. The dominant PAHs in soil samples were benzo(a)anthracene, phananthrene and chrysene with benzo(a)anthracene having the highest concentration across all sample stations. The PAH concentration observed in this study is thus a serious cause for concern since soil contamination from gas flaring will likely continue. Measures that will attenuate PAHs concentrations in soil should be adopted as farmers are likely exposed by largely inhalation.Keywords: Hydrocarbons; Contamination; Agricultural soils; Gas flaring

Highlights

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have become ubiquitous environmental pollutants thereby attracting the interest of the researchers all over the world
Gas flaring in Tsekelewu Community is a threat to the inhabitants of the community due to the release of associated contaminants such as benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylenes (BTEX), aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which deposit in the soil
The aim of this study is to assess of concentrations of PAHs in agricultural soils of Tsekelewu Community impacted by gas flaring in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State

Summary

Introduction

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have become ubiquitous environmental pollutants thereby attracting the interest of the researchers all over the world. Gas flaring practices has been preferred as a means of disposing associated or waste gas by various petroleum exploration and production companies operating in the Nigeria’s Niger Delta for the past five decades (Ite and Ibok, 2013). This practice has enormous impact on the soil, water and atmospheric conditions of the immediate environment.

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