Assessment of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) Level and Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Water and Sediment of Gulf of Guinea

Abstract

The Lagos lagoon is the largest of the four lagoon systems of the Gulf of Guinea coast. This aquatic resource of multiple usages receives diverse organic and inorganic materials from domestic, industrial, emission, and thermal sources. The levels of Polybrominateddiphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were assessed to ascertain the pollution status of surface water and sediment within this lagoon system. Four stations were sampled for PBDEs analysis, and ranged for surface water physicochemical parameters are (27.93 to 28.50 ⁰C), (115.00 to 2152.70 µS/cm), (2.00 to 2.80 mg/L), (6.45 to 7.63), (25.02 to 84.60 NTU), (226.30 to 3999.00 mg/L), for temperature, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, and total dissolved solids respectively. While the Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in sampled sediment ranged from 0.5 to 5.71 mg/L., the total concentrations of PBDEs in sediments ranged from 31.6 to 47.5 µg/Kg. Whereas the BDEs concentration in water ranged from 3.7 to 10.5 pg/L, total PBDE concentration of individual congener for water ranged from approximately 0.8 to 12.5 pg/L. The BDE 28 predominates across the locations followed by BDE 99. Impact of PBDEs concentration in the marine environment was evident within the study area.