Effects of crude oil effluents (produced water) on organisms in the aquatic environment of the Niger Delta, Southern Nigeria
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Date
2012-10
Authors
Oluseyi, T.O.
Kambi, M.
Olayinka, K.O.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Proceedings of Unilag Research Conference
Abstract
In this study, the effects of produced water (PW) on aquatic organisms were investigated. PW contains numerous toxic compounds of natural origin, such as dispersed oil, metals, alkylphenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and many chemicals added during the oil production process. Physico chemical, oil and grease, heavy metals and 96 hour acute toxicity bioassay was conducted. The effluent was found to have very low levels of heavy metals while the oil and grease content was 14.1 mg/L. The dissolved oxygen was 2.4mg/L and chemical oxygen demand of 2300 mg/L. The acute toxicity test indicated that the effluent was toxic to both fresh (Oreochromis niloticus) and brackish (Palaemonetes africanus) water species, with 53% of the effluent causing 100% mortality of both species within 24hours of test duration. The acute toxic unit (TUa) of the effluent was 8.7 and 5.3 for fresh and brackish waters respectively. The toxic level in the fresh water is slightly higher than that of the brackish water. Mortality was found to increase as the percentage of PW in each test tank increases. The calculated lethal time (LT50) for Oreochromis niloticus was 68.6 hours at an effluent concentration of 20% while the LT50 of Palaemonetes africanus was also 68.6 hrs at an effluent concentration of 40%
Description
Keywords
Research Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES::Chemistry::Analytical chemistry::Separation methods , acute toxicity , bioassay , crude oil , effluent , produced water
Citation
Oluseyi, T.O. Kambi, M. Olayinka, K.O. (2012).Effects of crude oil effluents (produced water) on organisms in the aquatic environment of the Niger Delta, Southern Nigeria. Proceedings of Unilag Research Conference 3: 431-440