Evaluation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons Profiles in Some Nigerian Crude Oils

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons in some Nigerian crude oils.
 Study Design: Field and Laboratory-Experimental Design were used in this study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Crude oil samples were obtained from three locations (designated as Location 1, Location 2, and Location 3) in the Niger Delta, Nigeria.
 Methodology: The samples were subjected to liquid-liquid extraction using dichloromethane and analysed using GC-FID.
 Results: The results of the analyses of the crude oils gave polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations of 2.6089 x 104 ppm representing 60.06% and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration of 4.3201 x 104 ppm at Location 1, PAHs concentration of 4.764 x 103 ppm (62.8%) and TPH recording a concentration of 7.583x 103 ppm at Location 2, while Location 3 had PAHs concentration of 9.93 x 102 ppm (30.66%) and TPH concentration of 3.239 x 103 ppm. The total concentrations of the high molecular weight PAHs were lower than those of the low molecular weight PAHs in the samples. Also the concentrations of the individual PAHs were higher in the low molecular weight PAHs. The mean PAHs concentrations of 2707.6 ppm (location 1), 551.5 ppm (location 2) and 90.7 ppm (location 3) are different.
 Conclusion: The observed results show that all the sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons listed as priority pollutants are present in the three crude oil samples with higher concentrations in the light crude oils than in the heavy crude oil and a strong correlation with the total petroleum hydrocarbon concentration. It was also observed that though the ratios of the low molecular weight PAHs to high molecular weight PAHs of the crude oils indicate petrogenic, the unique diagnostic ratios suggest pyrogenic input. There is therefore the need to develop a method of PAHs removal from PAHs contaminated water based on locally available and cheap materials.

Health Risk Assessment of Exposures to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Water and Fish Ingestion in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

“…This study thus set out to evaluate the health risks associated with fish or water ingestion within oil-producing Communities in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. It was anticipated that this research would enable a better understanding of the wide-ranging impacts of artisanal refining practices and 6 0 E 35 1 42 II , 5°N 14 1 46 II 6°E 35 1 04 II ) are shown in Figure 1.…”

“…Water samples were collected from five points in each study community using previously cleaned 1 litre capacity glass bottles. The geographic locations for these points (areas on the map with orange-coloured pins) in Nembe (4°N53 l 32 ll 6°E 40 l 31 ll , 4°N 52 1 95 II 6°E 39 1 82 II 4°N 53 1 04 II 6°E 39 1 26 II ), Gbarain (5°N 02 1 79 II 6°E 28 1 22 II , 5°N 01 1 05 II 6°E 29 1 28 II ) and Sampou (5°N 14 1 78 II (BkF), Indeno-1,2,3-cd pyrene (IndP), and Dibenz (a,h) anthracene (DahA). The instrument limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were also estimated and ranged between 0.001-0.04 μg/mL and 0.004-0.10 μg/mL respectively.…”

“…Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large subset of ubiquitous organic compounds which possess the capacity to be widely distributed in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems [1,2]. These organic compounds are environmentally persistent, hardly biodegradable, carcinogenic, mutagenic and environmentally toxic.…”