Post-spill Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Volatile Organic Compounds in Surface Water from Aleto River, Southern Nigeria

This study was designed to assess the level of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in surface water collected from Aleto river located within the pollution-prone Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. Surface water samples were collected from River Aleto, 12 months after a crude oil spill that spread to the River, at upstream and downstream locations while surface water samples collected midstream from Ogharefe River served as Control samples. Surface water samples were analyzed for PAH, TPH and VOCs using standard analytical methods. The level of sixteen (16) USEPA-recognized PAH compounds, C₄ – C₄₀ hydrocarbon chain lengths and BTEX were investigated. Results obtained showed that PAH concentration was higher in upstream surface water samples (94.30±0.08 mg/l) while TPH (954.78 ± 0.03 mg/l) and VOC (41.35±0.03ppm) concentrations were higher in the surface water samples collected at downstream locations along the Aleto River. Varying levels of PAH compounds were found to be present in the surface water samples. TPH compounds and BTEX showed significance presence when values for downstream and upstream surface water samples were compared with results for control surface water samples. Findings from this study suggest that surfacewater from Aleto river contain substantial amount of hydrocarbon pollutants associated with deleterious environmental and epidemiological effects, thus residents of Aleto Eleme are exposed to health risks associated with direct contact or consumption of water and seafood from the Aleto River.