To date, limited information exists on the distribution of endocrine disrupting compounds in groundwater resources from African rural settlements. In view of this knowledge gap, the present study investigated the concentrations and potential health risks of phenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in underground water samples obtained from eight rural settlements in Nigeria, West Africa. The water samples were obtained from domestic drinkable communal wells at Anambra (Mgbaukwu and Umudioka), Lagos (Bariga, Itire and Mushin), and Delta (Agbarho, Ikweghwu and Orhokpokpor) states representing the South-East, South-West and South-South Nigeria respectively. Samples were analyzed for 10 selected chlorinated, nitrogen-containing and alkyl phenolic compounds using gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detector technique. At all understudied sites, selected phenolic compounds with the exception of 2-chlorophenol which was below detectable limits at 4 sites (Agbarho, Mgbaukwu, Umudioka site 1 and Mushin) were detected. The concentrations of the phenolic compounds in the samples from the different sites ranged between below detectable limits to 0.0904 ppm. Nonylphenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol were predominant at EDCs in most sites when compared with the other phenolic contaminants. The calculated chronic daily intake (CDI) results for the exposed populations at the communities implies that the level of occurrence and daily intake of 2-nitrophenol, 2,4-dimethylphenol, 4-nitrophenol, 2-chlorophenol and bisphenol A were still below their respective oral reference doses. Nonylphenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (risk quotient, RQ > 1) were identified as the major EDC contributors to potential health risk for exposed populations at the communities.

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The present study investigated the potentials of two blended organic manures (Fish and pig wastes) as biostimulating agents in restoring induced crude oil pollution in soil samples. 200g of soil sample was obtained and polluted with 10% (w/w) of Bonny crude. 30g of the blended mixture of the organic manure (fish and pig wastes) were added to the polluted soil samples. The bioremediated soil was subsequently analyzed for physicochemical properties, total Petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), heavy metals and endogenous oil degrading fungi populations on weekly basis for a period of five weeks. From the results obtained, bioremediation with the blended organic manure significantly improved the levels of nitrogen, P, K and organic matters when compared with the control. The concentrations of PAH and TPH were significantly reduced following treatment with the organic remediants in a time dependent manner. The results also revealed that there was a significant increase (P<0.05) in the fungal load on the amended soil sample following the five weeks treatment plan. Thus, the study suggests that a combination of fish and pig wastes could serve as an excellent biostimulating agent for the remediation of crude oil polluted soils.