Many Oil Wells, One Evil: Comprehensive Assessment of Toxic Metals Concentration, Seasonal Variation and Human Health Risk in Drinking Water Quality in Areas Surrounding Crude Oil Exploration Facilities in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Oil and natural gas extraction have produced environmental pollution at levels that affect reproductive health of indigenous populations. Accordingly, polluted drinking water from physical, chemical and heavy metals can result in serious health problems, like anemia, kidney failure, immunosuppression, neurological impairments, gastrointestinal as well as respiratory irritation, skeletal system abnormalities, liver inflammation, liver cancer, cardiovascular diseases after chronic exposure and other cancer diseases with negative health effects. These diseases types remain associated to high amounts of heavy metal elements such as lead, chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, manganese as well as nickel etc.

Objectives: Compare differences in water quality parameters in the study area (determine
the level of pollutions in the different sites).

Methodology: The investigation made use of standard analytical methodologies. All sampling, conservation, transportation as well as analysis followed the usual APHA procedures (2012). To prevent degradation of the organic substances, all obtained samples were transferred to the laboratory, while keeping in an icebox.

Results: Result shows that during wet season, the mean values obtained for water quality
parameters were significantly lower in site 9 compared with that obtained in other sites (p<0.05) with the exemptions of temperature, DO, BOD, COD, acidity, TH, TDS, K, Mg, Zn, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, NH₃, NO₂, NO₃, Ni though slightly lower in most cases in site 9 were not significantly different (p>0.05) and both alkalinity and SO4 which were significantly higher in site 9 than site 1 (p<0.05). Result obtained during dry season reveals that there is no remarkable difference in pH, acidity, Pb and Ni between the nine sites (p>0.05) while other water quality parameters were significantly lower in site 9 than other sites excluding Cl and Mg which were both significantly higher in site 9 than site 8 (p<0.05).

Conclusion: To guarantee quality groundwater supply for various purposes in Nigeria’s core Niger Delta region, extra efforts must be taken to fully understand hydrogeochemical features and its suitability. Thus, this study will aid in the development of a quantitative understanding of the effects of diverse causes on groundwater level fluctuations in any aquifer around the world. Also, this analysis reinforces a valuable resource for researchers, activists and public officials seeking to help enhance community awareness, planning and performance. The verdicts would remain a valuable guideline for policymakers, the Ministry of Water Resources and development practitioners, as this highlights the requirement for suitable approaches toward mitigating toxic element of water resources contamination in the core Niger Delta toward safeguarding health of the public from carcinogenic as well as non-carcinogenic risks.

Note:
Funding Information: The water sampling and analysis was supported by AGIP Research Department

Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Keywords: Human health risk, Oil wells, Reproductive health, potentially toxic metals, Development practitioners, Community awareness, Exploration Facilities, Core Niger Delta

JEL Classification: Q23