Assessment of Total Hydrocarbon Soil Content of <i>Rhizophora mangle</i> and <i>Nypa fruticans</i> at Onne and Eagle Island

Abstract

The assessment of total hydrocarbon soil (THC) content of <i>Rhizophora mangle</i> and <i>Nypa fruticans</i> was investigated. Plant part of the studied plants (leaves, root, and stem) were collected from the studied forest. In each study area a 20 x 20m plot was delineated. Within each plot 10 trees were sampled randomly using stratified systematic analyzed sampling method. For the soil analysis, fresh samples were collected insitu with a soil augur weighed and placed in a sterile polythene bags and sent to laboratory, each location 3 replicates from each sampling plot were used for both locations. leaves, pieces of root and stem of red mangrove were harvested similar techniques were adopted for Nypa palm and placed in the cooler and taken to the laboratory for analysis. The collected samples were analyzed for THC in plant parts, THC and physicochemical parameters for soil and water. The result generated showed a significant variation of THC accumulation was more in root of <i>Nypa fruticans</i> than <i>Rhizophora mangle</i> roots. The leaves and bark of <i>Rhizophora Mangle</i> accumulated high concentration of THC. This study showed that higher productivity and litter fall in <i>Rhizophora mangle</i> is a mechanism to counter the effect of total hydrocarbon pollution in a polluted rain forest environment. <i>Rhizophora mangle</i> could be referred also as hyper accumulator due to its ability in accumulating the high amount of THC in leaves.