Critical Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Ring Size Distribution in Marshy Soils and Sediments in Warri City and Its Environs, Southern Nigeria | Chapter 01 | Advances in Applied Science and Technology Vol. 1
Industrialization and urbanization have
advanced socio-economic development. As a consequence, amyriad of environmental
problems have become prevalent in urban areas, including contamination by
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) via various pathways. PAHs are
ubiquitous environmental pollutants and are released into the environments via
various routes. They have been largely detected in various
environmental media, such
as organism,atmosphere, water,
soils and sediments.
This study was carried
out to analyze
the ring size
distribution of PAHs
in marshy soils
and sediment samples in Warri
City, Southern Nigeria. The samples were collected during dry and rainy seasons
from four locations within Warri and a control location in Agbarho, 20km away.
Levels of 16 priority PAHs listed in United States Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA) were determined using Gas Chromatography coupled
with Flame Ionization
detector (GC-FID). This
study was carried
from January to March and
June to August, representing
the dry and wet
seasons respectively. It was
observed that PAHs
concentration was generally
higher in dry
than rainy seasons
for soil and sediment samples. The two-ringed PAHs
analysed were naphthalene, 2-methyl naphthalene and 1-methyl naphthalene
while the three-ringed
PAHs were acenaphthylene, acenaphthene,
fluorine, anthracene and phenanthrene.
The four-ringed PAHs
were fluoranthene, chrysene,
pyrene and benzo(a)anthracene. The
five-ringed PAHs were
benzo(a)pyrene,
benzo(b)fluoranthene and
benzo(k)fluoranthrene while the
six-ringed PAHs were
indeno (1,2,3-c,d) pyrene
and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, and benzo(g,h.i)perylene. Moreover, the ring
size analysis revealed that for soils, two to three-ringed as well as
four-ringed PAHs were more predominant in Ugboroke location, five-ringed PAHs
in Okotie and six-ringed PAHs in Ogunu location. Overall, five-ringed PAHs were
more predominant in Okotie location in the dry season. However, for sediments,
two to three-ringed as well as four-ringed PAHs were more predominant in Okotie
location, five-ringed PAHs in Ogunu and six-ringed PAHs in Ugboroke location.
Overall, two to three-ringed PAHs were more predominant in Okotie location in
the dry season for sediment samples. Furthermore,in the marshy soil samples,
the ring size distribution is as follows; 5-ring PAHs ˃ 2-3 ring PAHs ˃ 6-ring
PAHs ˃ 4-ring PAHs. Considering the dominance
of 5-ring PAHs; high
lipophilicity, low water
solubility and low volatility PAHs are prevalent in the study
area. As a result, they are predominantly in solid state, decreasing their
mobility and increasing their persistence in the environment.In the marshy
sediment samples, the ring size distribution is as follows; 2 to 3-ring PAHs ˃
5-ring PAHs ˃ 4-ring PAHs ˃ 6-ring PAHs. The dominance of 2 to 3-ring PAHs
indicates that the PAHs found in the study area may have low lipophilicity,
high water solubility and high volatility. As a consequence of their high
volatility, they may readily appear in the atmosphere predominantly in gaseous
form. Furthermore, being highly soluble in water, they are readily available
for biological uptake and degradation. Hence, they are less toxic with decreased
carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic potential.
Biography of author(s)
Prof. Iwekumo E. Agbozu
Department of
Environmental Managementand Toxicology, Federal University of Petroleum Resources
Effurun, P.M.B.1221, Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria
Adejoke V. Bayowa
College of Agriculture
and Environmental Science, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.
Osayomwanbor E. Oghama
Department of
Environmental Management and Toxicology, Federal University of Petroleum Resources
Effurun, P.M.B. 1221, Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria.
View Volume: https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/aast/v1
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