Hydrocarbon-Based Contaminants in Drinking Water Sources and Shellfish in the Soku Oil and Gas Fields of South-South Nigeria

Ezekwe, I.C., Otiasah, C.L., Raimi, M.O. and Austin-Asomeji, I. (2022) Hydrocarbon-Based Contaminants in Drinking Water Sources and Shellfish in the Soku Oil and Gas Fields of South-South Nigeria. Open Journal of Yangtze Gas and Oil, 7, 213 230.https://doi.org/10.4236/ojogas.2022.74012

Posted: 14 Dec 2022

See all articles by Clinton Ifeanyichukwu Ezekwe

Clinton Ifeanyichukwu Ezekwe

University of Port Harcourt - Department of Geography and Environmental Management

Christian Livingstone Otiasah

University of Port Harcourt, Choba Town, Rivers State, Nigeria

Morufu Olalekan Raimi

Federal University Otuoke; Niger Delta University (NDU) - Department of Community Medicine

Austin-Asomeji Iyingiala

Rivers State University

Date Written: October 17, 2022

Abstract

Environmentally unfriendly Oil exploration activities have been ongoing in the Soku area of the Niger Delta of Nigeria since 1956. This study evaluated the concentration of hydrocarbons and heavy metals in Shellfish and drinking water sources in the study area. It revealed the absence (<0.001 mg/l) of most heavy metals (Ni, Ch, Cd, Pb mg/l) in the water column; a high concentration of the major ion composition of seawater (sulphates 5 - 1018; calcium 0.502 -53.502; sodium 1.247 - 63.337; potassium 0.508 - 102.745; magnesium 0.354 -42.574 mg/l); and high PAHs (<0.001 - 0.032 mg/l) levels occurring above WHO limits (0.007 mg/l) with some risk of exposure to cancer. Results from the analysis of shellfish showed that concentrations of chromium and zinc were below permissible limits while cadmium concentrations were slightly above permissible limits of the European Community. Nickel and lead were above permissible limits in the fish samples in all standards while PAHs occurred at the cancer risk levels of 10−6 A review of the public health situation in the Soku area with a view to understanding current trends, sources of perturbations and preferable solutions to the potential public health challenges raised in this study is hereby recommended. Also, this study recommends that relevant agencies and developmental partners should launch a national drive to create awareness among people/environmental/public health professionals’/health workers/administrators on this regional concern.

Keywords: Niger Delta, Oil and Gas Production, Oil Pollution, Periwinkle, Rural Livelihoods, Water Quality

JEL Classification: E20

Suggested Citation

Ezekwe, Clinton Ifeanyichukwu and Otiasah, Christian Livingstone and Raimi, Morufu Olalekan and Iyingiala, Austin-Asomeji, Hydrocarbon-Based Contaminants in Drinking Water Sources and Shellfish in the Soku Oil and Gas Fields of South-South Nigeria (October 17, 2022). Ezekwe, I.C., Otiasah, C.L., Raimi, M.O. and Austin-Asomeji, I. (2022) Hydrocarbon-Based Contaminants in Drinking Water Sources and Shellfish in the Soku Oil and Gas Fields of South-South Nigeria. Open Journal of Yangtze Gas and Oil, 7, 213 230.https://doi.org/10.4236/ojogas.2022.74012, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4250371

Clinton Ifeanyichukwu Ezekwe

University of Port Harcourt - Department of Geography and Environmental Management ( email )

Department of Geography and Environmental
Management
Choba, Rivers State, Rivers State
Nigeria
08033388237 (Phone)

Christian Livingstone Otiasah

University of Port Harcourt, Choba Town, Rivers State, Nigeria

Morufu Olalekan Raimi (Contact Author)

Federal University Otuoke ( email )

Department of Environmental Management and
Toxicology
Bayelsa
Nigeria

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.growkudos.com/profile/morufu_raimi

Niger Delta University (NDU) - Department of Community Medicine ( email )

Nigeria
07038053786 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Morufu_Raimi

Austin-Asomeji Iyingiala

Rivers State University ( email )

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