Petroleum hydrocarbons contamination of the environment associated with exploration, development and production operations is a common feature in oil producing nations around the world, especially in a developing country like Nigeria where the incidence of facilities sabotage, operational failures, accidental discharges, pipeline vandalization and leakages, bunkering and artisanal refining is very common. Apart from poor governance systems, poor corporate social responsibility (CSR) of multinational oil companies (MOCs), poor environmental regulation of the petroleum industry, the inability of the political elite to effectively manage petroleum hydrocarbon-derived revenue, loss of petroleum hydrocarbons resource revenue to corruption and theft, petroleum hydrocarbons contamination of the total environment (air, soil, water and biota) have impacted negatively on the human health and wellbeing of oil producing communities in the Nigeria's Niger Delta region. Findings from several studies have revealed variable negative impacts of petroleum hydrocarbons toxicity on the human health (including exposed populations), the natural environment and other ecological receptors. Over the past fifty-five years, the oil producing host communities in the Nigeria's Niger Delta region have experienced a wide range of environmental pollution, degradation, human health risks, deterioration of our cultural heritage items and socio-economic problems as a result of various activities associated with petroleum exploration, development and production. Petroleum hydrocarbons contamination of surface water and groundwater is a notable environmental and human health problem in the oil producing communities and there are several water quality issues in the Nigeria's Niger Delta region. This review examines some of the water quality issues and human health implications of petroleum hydrocarbons contamination of controlled water sources (surface-water and groundwater) in the oil producing host communities in the Nigeria's Niger Delta region. It will further highlight some of the problems of petroleum hydrocarbons contamination and/or pollution of marine environments associated with unsustainable practices of petroleum industry in the region.
This study was carried out to assess indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria during the rainy (June-July) and dry (November-December) seasons of 2018. IAQ parameters were examined to assess pollutant levels in schools within Akwa Ibom State in single setting only (naturally ventilated classrooms). Schools were randomly selected from two zones: zone 1 which is located within the Capital City (Uyo metropolis) and represents the 'urban sector', and zone 2 which is located within the southern part of the state in close proximity to the oil and gas industrial region and represents the 'industrial sector'. Indoor air investigation included the following parameters: particulate matter (PM 1 , PM 2 , PM 5 , and PM 10), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2) levels, temperature and relative humidity, which were simultaneously measured in fourteen (14) sampling days using Fluke 985 Particle Counter and Fluke 975 AirMeter. Multiple statistically analysis techniques were used to compare IAQ parameters and test for significant differences between the zones (urban vs. industrial) and annual seasonal variations. The concentrations of particulate matter (PM) in the naturally ventilated classroom in industrial zone during the rainy season ranged from 5152-5984 μg/m 3 for PM 1 ; 2744-3207 μg/m 3 for PM 2 ; 137-149 μg/m 3 for PM 5 ; 38-46 μg/m 3 for PM 10 and in urban zone, the concentrations of PM ranged from 1978-2491 μg/m 3 for PM 1 ; 1010-1311 μg/m 3 for PM 2 ; 38-56 μg/m 3 for PM 5 ; 15-24 μg/m 3 for PM 10. During the dry season, the concentrations of PM in the naturally ventilated classroom in industrial zone ranged from 6138-6999 μg/m 3 for PM 1 ; 2984-3980 μg/m 3 for PM 2 ; 146-159 μg/m 3 for PM 5 ; 47-59 μg/m 3 for PM 10 and in urban zone, the concentrations of PM ranged from 2556-3972 μg/m 3 for PM 1 ; 1911-2311 μg/m 3 for PM 2 ; 51-66 μg/m 3 for PM 5 ; 18-34 μg/m 3 for PM 10. Results of this study has revealed that the concentrations of PM 1 , PM 2 , PM 5 , and PM 10 measured in the naturally ventilated classroom in industrial zone were significantly (p < 0.001) higher than those measured in the urban zone during both rainy and dry seasons. In this present study, the concentrations of PM 10 measured were found to be much lower than the ambient maximum contaminant level for airborne PM 10 standard promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) (150 μg/m 3 daily average and 50 μg/m 3 annual average) and World Health Organization (WHO) PM 10 guidelines values (50 μg/m 3 daily average and 20 μg/m 3 annual average). Apart from re-suspension of atmospheric particles, anthropogenic activities in industrial zone significantly influenced the measured concentrations of PM compared to those measured in urban zone. In addition, the lower concentration of CO and CO 2 measured indicated adequate air exchange at the time of the assessment in the naturally ventilated classrooms during the sampling period. The results obtained reveal important contributions towards understanding o...
The palynological study of the outcrop Formations in parts of Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Southeastern Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria has contributed to unraveling the palynostratigraphy and paleoenvironments of the outcrops through the use of diagnostic palynomorphs. The section is made up of carbonaceous shales, sandstones, mudstones and claystones. The conventional maceration technique for recovering acid-insoluble organic-walled microfossils from sediments was used to prepare twenty outcrop samples for palynological studies. The samples produced poor to fair diversity assemblages of palynomorphs. A total of 176 palynomorphs species were recorded, with 48% pollen grains, 33% spores, 12% dinoflagellate cysts, 5% fungal spores, and 2% microforam test wall linings. Based on stratigraphically selected index taxa recovered,age determination and correlation wereestablished. The samples from Imo Formation were assigned Late Paleocene-Eocene based on Psilatricolporites Crassus, Retitricolporites irregularies, Psilatricolporites sp. and Leiotriletes adriennis with the presence of Paleocene dinoflagellate cysts such as Lejeunacysta beninensis and Selenopemphix nephroides. Ameki samples were dated Early-Middle Eocene based on Proxapertites operculatus, Retistephanocolpites williamsi, Mauritidites crassiexinius, Monocolpites marginatus and Longapertites marginatus. Ogwashi-Asaba shale samples were assigned Late Eocene-Early Oligocene due to the abundant presence of Verrucatosporites usmensis, Laevigatosporites discordatus and Retitricolporites irregularis while Eze-Aku samples were tentatively assigned Paleocene because of the presence of two pollen index fossils Proxapertites operculatus and Pachydermites diederixi. Inferred depositional conditions suggest that Imo Formation was deposited in a shallow marine or near shore brackish water estuarine environment. The Ameki Formation was accumulated in a marginal marine or near shore, brackish water-estuarine environment in the upper deltaic setting. The Ogwashi-Asaba Formation was deposited in a progradational shoreline moving between the brackish water and fresh water deltaic plain. The Eze-Aku Formation was deposited in an upper foreshore fresh water environment. The palynological study of the samples are Paleogene Formations while the paleoenvironment is in a costal deltaic to shallow-marine environment and are appropriate for hydrocarbon accumulations and exploration.
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