An integrated investigation of hydrocarbon pollution in Ahoada area, Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2023-11, Vol.30 (55), p.116848-116859
• Main Authors: Umar, Hafiz Aminu, Khanan, Mohd Faisal Abdul, Shiru, Mohammed Sanusi, Ahmad, Anuar, Rahman, Muhammad Zulkarnain Abdul, din, Ami Hassan Md
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Contaminants; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Electrical resistivity; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Geographic information systems; GIS Applied to Soil-Agricultural Health for Environmental Sustainability; Hydrocarbons; Mapping; Oil spills; Pollution; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Remote sensing; Soil analysis; Soil contamination; Soil remediation; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25144-z

This study investigates hydrocarbon pollution in the Ahoada community of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The study uses a geographic information system (GIS) for mapping oil spill hotspots in the region. The resistivity method was used to delineate the extent of hydrocarbon pollution to a depth of 19.7 m in the Ahoada area of the region. Three categories of soil samples, impacted soil (IMS), remediated soil (RS), and control soil (CS), were collected and analyzed for the presence of BTEX, PAH, TPH, TOC, and TOG. The concentrations of the samples from the IMS and RS were compared to that of the CS to determine the extent of pollution. The GIS mapping shows that the most polluted areas in the Niger Delta Region are Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta states. Results of the geophysical images revealed contaminants’ presence to depths beyond 20 m at some locations in the study area. The highest depth of contaminant travel was at Ukperede. Soil samples’ analysis showed that the range of concentrations of TPH in IMS at Oshie was 17.27–58.36 mg/kg; RS was 11.73–50.78 mg/kg which were higher than the concentrations of 0.68 mg/kg in the CS. PAHs are more prevalent in Ukperede, ranging from 54.56 to 77.54 mg/kg. BTEX concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 0.38 mg/kg for IMP and 0.01–2.7 mg/kg for RS against a CS value of 0.01 mg/kg. The study revealed that there are characteristically high resistivity values in the samples which were corroborated by the findings from the resistivity survey. TOC was found to be higher in the IMS and RS than in the CS, demonstrating that a significant quantity of the hydrocarbon has undergone appreciable decomposition.