Impact of Oil and Gas Activities on Acidity of Rain and Surface Water of Niger Delta, Nigeria: An Environmental and Public Health Review

Abstract

Acidic aerosols resulting from gas flaring and refinery operations in the Niger Delta are a serious environmental and public health concern. Several thousand tons of flue gas components (dust particles, SOx, CO and NOx) are released into the atmosphere by flaring billions of cubic meters of natural gas and refining and volatilizing the spilt oil. Heat waves are generated by flaring travels several meters away from flare points, destroying crops, farm lands, exotic species that are hunters delight while causing extinction of fragile soil flora and fuana. The occurrence of acid rain in the region implies that the natural receptors of the area are the final recipient of land and atmospheric pollutants. In effect, the water needs and public health of the populace are greatly impeded. Nitric and sulphuric acids are regarded as the sole contributors of nitrate and sulphate in precipitation influenced by combusted hydrocarbons: fine nitrate aerosols that dissolve in rain water are conversion products of NO2 that arise from flaring, power plants and motor vehicles. Scientific evidence has shown that rain water and surface water quality in the Niger Delta can accentuate the poor health burden, and may be perpetuated through generations unborn. Diagnostic health risk assessment has revealed that drinking nitrate contaminated water may be associated with spontaneous miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, adult malignant lymphomas, soft tissues sarcomas, cancers and lesions with added health burden associated with heavy metals and other ions. All these pose public health emergency and may significantly entrench health risk for generations to come. Therefore, this manuscript is intended to close certain gaps that were not covered by toxicological information and available data on environmental and food contamination and human internal ex-J. K. Nduka et al. 567 posure: it will serve as a continuous reminder and a useful guide to public health policy makers, workers and community based physicians.

Global Quest for Zero Routine Flaring: An Appraisal of Nigeria’s Legal and Regulatory Abatement Frameworks

“…The result is that life expectancy at birth in the Niger Delta region is now 40 years as opposed to the national average of 52.9 years (CBN, 2015;Giwa et al, 2017). Several studies have also demonstrated the negative effects of gas flaring on agriculture, which is a key source of livelihood in the Niger Delta (Ologunorisa, 2001;Environmental Rights Action et al, 2005;UNDP, 2006;Gboyega et al, 2011;Nduka et al, 2016). Farmers in the Niger Delta communities regularly experience acid-like damage to their crops.…”

Review of Environmental and Public Health Impact of Automobile Wastes and Automobile Transportation in Nigeria

“…Exposure to ambient concentrations of CO can have resultant formation of carboxyhemoglobin together with inhaled particles, which increase blood viscosity, thereby hampering oxygen delivery to the tissues [54]. A direct effect of gaseous emission by automobiles is acidic precipitation which affects terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems with attendant public health implication as has been widely reported in Nigeria [46,47,55]. Depending on the soil in nature, acid rain affects the soil.…”

“…NO 2 causes lung tissue inflammation at (50-100 ppm) exposure levels, bronchitis fibrosa obliterans (150-200 ppm) exposure, death (550 ppm) exposure [56]. Skin cancers and lesion, stomach ulcers, ocular congestion or corneal problems, and epithelial cell or leukocyte damage are possible health challenges associated with exposure to acid rain [55,57]. The above chronicled facts show that emission from automobile transportation can synergize change in climate (alteration between balance in incoming and outgoing radiation elements over a period of time in the atmosphere leading to differed quality of air over time) [58] and that climate change is intricately weaved to human health.…”

Green Technology for Crude Oil Processed Water Treatment: A Practical Approach for Nigeria Petroleum Industry

“…Also, Globally, it is the most important source of power [5,6], it represents about 40% of world total energy use [6]. Several nations are excessively reliant on petroleum for their main source of electricity and transportation fuel [7].…”