Statistical and Multivariate Techniques to Trace the Sources of Ground Water Contaminants and Affecting Factors of Groundwater Pollution in an Oil and Gas Producing Wetland in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Groundwater is an important source of drinking water for the indigenous communities of Ebocha-Obrikom. Access to safe drinking water, in particular, is critical to one's health and, by extension, one's income and well-being. Underground wells are the primary supply of drinking water in the Niger Delta, and the groundwater is not always treated before consumption. As a result, water continues to be a vital environmental component that affects both humans and other life forms. Objectives: The aims of the research is to trace the sources and affecting factors of groundwater pollution via statistical and multivariate statistical techniques. Method: The investigation made use of standard analytical procedures. All sampling, conservation, transportation and analysis followed standard procedures described in APHA (2012). To prevent degradation of the organic substances, all obtained samples were transferred to the laboratory, while keeping in an icebox. Results: The study reveals that the greater the number of principal components extracted the greater variation in geochemical composition of the ground waters. It indicated that 34 parameters were distributed into six (6) and nine (9) principal components (PCs) extracted for groundwater samples for both rainy and dry seasons, potentially suggesting the input of different pollutants from different sources. Gas flaring, mineral dissolution/precipitation and anthropogenic input are the main sources of the physicochemical indices and trace elements in the groundwater. Groundwater chemistry is predominantly regulated by natural processes such as dissolution of carbonates, silicates, and evaporates and soil leaching, followed by human activities. Climatic factors and land use types are also important in affecting groundwater chemistry. Conclusion: Greater efforts should be made to safeguard groundwater, which is hampered by geogenic and anthropogenic activities, in order to achieve sustainable groundwater development. As a result, communities are recommended to maintain a groundwater management policy to ensure long-term sustainability. The study is useful for understanding groundwater trace sources in Rivers State's Ebocha-Obrikom districts. Such understanding would enable informed mitigation or eradication of the possible detrimental health consequences of this groundwater, whether through its use as drinking water or indirectly through consumption of groundwater-irrigated crops. As a result, determining its primary probable source of pollution (MPSP) is critical since it provides a clearer and more immediate interpretation. Furthermore, the research findings can be used as a reference for groundwater pollution prevention and water resource protection in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

Assessing pesticides residue in water and fish and its health implications in the Ivo river basin of South-eastern Nigeria

“…[3][4][5] Also, the contaminated streams become sources of danger to organisms including man that depend on them for survival. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] Pesticide residues poisoning has been documented as a killer by so many: cases include the mysterious deaths of over 18 people in Ode Irele, in Ondo State, Nigeria that was attributed to pesticides poisoning by the WHO (Sahara Reporters, 2015) and the poisoning of children reported as a major health problem in Zhejiang, China. 14 The United Nations has also noted that an average of about 200,000 people die from the toxic exposure of pesticides per year across the world, calling for tougher global regulation of substances meant to control pests or weeds for plant cultivation.…”

Comprehensive Understanding of Hydrogeochemical evaluation of seasonal variability in groundwater quality Dynamics in the Gold Mining Areas of Osun State, Nigeria

“…Heavy-metal contamination of agricultural soils has become a significant environmental concern in human cultures, particularly in developing nations, at the same time as the growth and expansion of industry, mining operations, and excessive use of chemical fertilizers [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. Studies have demonstrated that anthropogenic activities such as improper waste management [36][37], industrial, mining, agricultural, and domestic activities as well as geogenic processes like weathering of rock minerals, rainfall intensity, leaching, and local geology of the aquifer [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] are the major controls on groundwater quality. Groundwater was severely contaminated as a result of excessive and unsustainable groundwater extraction for drinking and irrigation, irrigation runoff, surface contaminants permeating the groundwater system, a high rate of evaporation, etc.…”

“…Groundwater was severely contaminated as a result of excessive and unsustainable groundwater extraction for drinking and irrigation, irrigation runoff, surface contaminants permeating the groundwater system, a high rate of evaporation, etc. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. In addition to these surface contaminants, groundwater quality was further impacted by geochemical processes, land use, and regional geology [38,39].…”

“…By establishing the drinking and irrigation appropriateness of groundwater to maintain human health while increasing agricultural production, numerous researchers from around the world have made contributions to this topic . Numerous studies have been conducted to understand how the groundwater system behaves in the context of oil and gas mining, both under natural and anthropogenic drives [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. For example, Raimi and Sawyerr [11] studied the preliminary study of groundwater quality using hierarchical classification approaches for contaminated sites in indigenous communities associated with crude oil exploration facilities in Rivers State and concluded that the findings of this study are significant for policymakers and agencies in terms of dealing with the issues identified to enhance sustainable livelihood practices in the oil rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria.…”

A Wake-Up Call: Determination of Antibiotics Residue Level in Raw Meat in Abattoir and Selected Slaughterhouses in Five Local Government in Kano State, Nigeria

“…The authors claimed that humankind is heading beyond a "safe operating area" as the size of these consequences approaches or exceeds certain thresholds that indicate global system tipping points or natural limits for processes with no apparent limits (so-called "hazardous levels"). Numerous researchers have reported that human health is generally influenced by their environment (Ecological Security Organization (EPA), 2015), Raimi and Sabinus, 2017;Olalekan et al, 2018;Suleiman et al, 2019;Raimi et al, 2019a;Raimi et al, 2019b;Raimi et al, 2019c;Olalekan et al, 2019;Okoyen et al, 2020;Adedoyin et al, 2020;Olalekan et al, 2020a;Olalekan et al, 2020b;Olalekan et al, 2020c;Raimi et al, 2021a;Raimi et al, 2021b;Raimi et al, 2021c;Morufu et al, 2021a;Morufu et al, 2021b;Morufu et al, 2021c;Morufu et al, 2021d;Morufu et al, 2021e) and specifically, the nature and quality of the food (Ames, 1983;Oluwaseun et al, 2019;Afolabi and Raimi, 2021). Nature cattle products is broadly concerning public health body throughout the globe since veterinary medications have assumed a significant part in the field of animal farming and agro-industry, and increasing event of drug residues, and resistance have become issues of concern (Rokka et al, 2005).…”