HPLC analysis of soils and vegetables from the Niger Delta for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using the photodiode array detector
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Date
2011-06
Authors
Alani, R.A.
Olayinka, K.O.
Alo, B.I.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Sci. Res. Dev.
Abstract
Soils and vegetation in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria are estimated to be impacted by the on-going crude oil exploration and exploitation in the region. The presence of toxic hydrocarbons including PAHs has been investigated in the soils and edible vegetables grown in the region. Soils and a common edible vegetable (Telferia occidentalis) commonly known as “Ugwu” or Fluted pumpkin - from four selected sites in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States were sampled and analyzed for PAHs by HPLC using a photodiode array detector technique. In Rivers State Benzo (k) fluroranthene (128.165μg/kg) was detected in the soil from Elelenwo, Port-Harcourt, while a high level of Naphthalene (1,245.84μg/kg) was detected in the soil from Deeyer Kira-Tai in Sakpenwa L.G.A. Also this soil from Deeyer Kira-Tai had the highest percentage (%) organic carbon and highest total hydrocarbon. No PAH was detected in the soil sample from the old Cross River Basin Authority farm, Onna, Eket in Akwa Ibom State but the soil from the second site in the State, Efa-Anyam in Etinan L.G.A. was found to contain 570.113μg/kg of Acenaphthene, 73.413 μg/kg of Benzo(k)fluoranthene and 542.25μg/kg of Benzo(g,h,i)perylene. The soil sample from Efa-Anyam site was found to contain the next highest percentage (%) organic carbon, total hydrocarbon, moisture content and the persistent toxic metals investigated. There was absence of PAHs in the edible vegetable sample from Elelenwo, Port-Harcourt site (Rivers State), and this was the case with the samples from the two investigated sites in Akwa Ibom State. However, the edible vegetable sample from Deeyer Kira-Tai in Sakpenwa L.G.A.of Rivers State contained seven different PAHs and in high concentrations. This one-time study has shown that the undue levels of undue levels of petroleum associated PAHs occuring in the soils of the Niger Delta region enter the food chain of residents as these PAHs are taken up and are even concentrated in the tissues of the vegetables grown in this area.
Description
Staff publications
Keywords
vegetation , PAHs , HPLC , food chain , petroleum , Research Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES::Chemistry::Analytical chemistry::Separation methods
Citation
Alani, R.A., Olayinka, K.O., and Alo, B.I. (2011). "HPLC analysis of soils and vegetables from the Niger Delta for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using the photodiode array detector." Journal of Sci. Res. Dev. Vol.13, 160-171pp.