Determination of the Contamination of Groundwater Sources in Okrika Mainland with Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs).
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Date
2011-07
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Abstract
In this study, we examined the presence and concentrations of six polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) in groundwater sources of Okrika mainland impacted by effluent
discharges from a petroleum refinery into her surrounding Creeks. Sterile amber coloured
bottles were used to collect 10 replicate borehole water samples from the mainland and
fixed with concentrated H2SO4. Samples were transferred to the laboratory in iced coolers
and analyzed using Gas chromatography coupled with Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID).
The interactions of the PAH components detected was determined using the Pearson
product moment correlation coefficient (r) while spatial variance equality in means of
concentrations was explored with the One-way ANOVA. Structure detection of observed
inequalities was made with means plots. Concentrations of the PAHs were high and
exceeded the WHO maximum permissible limit of 0.002mg/l in drinking water.
Benzo(b)fluoranthene, with the highest mean concentration varied between 0.00037-
0.51266 (0.08117±0.03330159)mg/l, fluoranthene varied between 0.00060-0.32890
(0.0473946±0.01769877)mg/l, while benzo(k)fluoranthene with the least mean
concentration varied between 0.00017-0.08478 (0.0237385±0.00610045)mg/l. However,
pyrene concentration ranged between 0.00015 and 0.24757 (0.0508440±0.01859716)mg/l,
benzo(a)anthracene between 0.00020-0.21972 (0.0512660±0.01688275)mg/l, and
chrysene between 0.00013 and 0.16571 (0.0488975±0.01090264)mg/l. Strong
associations were observed between all the PAH components measured at P<0.01.
Significant heterogeneity in mean variance of the PAHs [F(211.9502)>Fcrit(3.921478)] was
recorded across the sampling locations at P<0.05. Structure detection of mean difference
revealed that the inequalities were most contributed in BH1, BH 2, BH 5 and BH 10, while equality in mean concentrations were observed between BH 1 and BH 4, and BH 5 and BH
6. BH 8 recorded the highest contamination level of the various PAHs due basically to its
proximity to the refinery’s effluent channel. The most probable source of these PAHs is
therefore the nearby Port Harcourt Refinery Company’s effluent discharges into the
surrounding creeks of the mainland. This contamination is of public health concern as
several PAHs are known carcinogens. It is recommended that advanced technological
engineering be applied to contain the presence of these pollutants in drinking water
sources of residents of the area.
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Keywords
Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, carcinogens, Okrika mainland, Nigerian delta, refinery effluents
Citation
Ogbuagu D H, Okoli C G, Gilbert C L, Madu S. Determination of the Contamination of Groundwater Sources in Okrika Mainland with Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). British Journal of Environment and Climate Change. 2011 Jul-Sept; 1(3): 90-102.