Evaluation of Deviation of Some Soil Contamination Indicators Due to Oil Spillage in Akinima, Rivers State by Nwankwo, I L, Ekeocha, N E, Ikoro, D O, Scientific Research Journal (Scirj), Volume III, Issue VII, July 2015 Edition

Scirj Volume III, Issue VII, July 2015 Edition
ISSN: 2201-2796

Evaluation of Deviation of Some Soil Contamination Indicators Due to Oil Spillage in Akinima, Rivers State

Nwankwo, I L, Ekeocha, N E, Ikoro, D O

Abstract: This study evaluates changes in the acceptable concentrations of some analyzed soil parameters due to oil spillage in Akinima, Rivers State, Nigeria. Twenty contaminated soil samples were collected from a spill site and four control soil samples from uncontaminated area within the community. The samples were analyzed in the laboratory for total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), heavy metals and hydrogen ion concentrations. The results of the heavy metals analysis on samples from the contaminated site were compared to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) Target Value and the control value from uncontaminated sites and it was found showed that Zinc (with Target value of 140 mg/kg) ranged from 4.392 to 235.985 mg/kg with a mean value of 51.49615 mg/kg, Cadmium (Target value of 0.8 mg/kg) ranged from 5.2 to 9.35 mg/kg with a mean value of 7.031mg/kg, Chromium (Target value of 100 mg/kg) ranged from 1.02 to 13 mg/kg with a mean value of 7.6635mg/kg and Lead (Target value of 85 mg/kg) ranged from 12.97 to 109.2 mg/kg with a mean value of 7.6635mg/kg while the heavy metals analyzed from the control soil samples ranged in values from <0.001 to 0.05 mg/kg for Zinc, <0.001 mg/kg for Cadmium, <0.001 mg/kg for Chromium, and Lead ranged from below detectable limit (bdl) to <0.001 mg/kg. For the contaminated soil, the TPH (Target value of 85 mg/kg) ranged from 330.427 to 4365.667mg/kg and pH ranged from 4.8 to 6.97 respectively, while the control samples had TPH below detectable limits while pH values were 6.82-6.99. The heavy metals and TPH values from the contaminated soil were higher than the control values from the uncontaminated soil. The TPH values from the contaminated soil also exceeded the Target value while the mean pH value was within the acidic range. The parameters analyzed could be toxic when found above certain levels in soil and could be transported to groundwater even at greater depth and wider area into streams and other water bodies. It is recommended that

Reference this Paper: Evaluation of Deviation of Some Soil Contamination Indicators Due to Oil Spillage in Akinima, Rivers State by Nwankwo, I L, Ekeocha, N E, Ikoro, D O published at: "Scientific Research Journal (Scirj), Volume III, Issue VII, July 2015 Edition, Page 19-24 ".

Search Terms: Oil Spillage, Heavy Metals, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon, Hydrogen Ion Concentration, Contamination

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