Abstract
This study investigated the concentration and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the sediments of Oji River due to point sources of pollution from abattoir and power plant and determined the ecological and human health risks associated with the PAHs in the sediments. Oji River in Nigeria receives contaminants from anthropogenic activities relating to waste tires used in singeing cow meats in abattoir and preparing hides and skin for local consumption. It also receives contaminants from power distribution station where the defunct coal power plant used to be situated. These activities have the potential to release polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that could accumulate in the river sediments. The PAHs were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This study found that the abattoir is responsible for the occurrence of benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene in the sediments around the abattoir. The occurrence and distribution of PAHs around the area affected by the power station was profound as among all the 16 priority PAHs; only naphthalene benzo[g,h,i]perylene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were not detected. The five-member ring PAHs were predominant in this section of the river affected by power station. Ecological risks of the PAHs due to the effects of the power station are significant. The total toxicity equivalence (TEQ) of the PAHs upstream the abattoir is insignificant but significant around the abattoir and within the area impacted by the power station. The values of the hazard index (HI) and risk index (RI) indicate insignificant carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risks in all the locations except the area within the influence of the power station where there are insignificant non-carcinogenic risks but significant carcinogenic risks.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdel-Sharif, H. I., & Mansour, M. S. M. (2016). A review on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: source, environmental impact, effect on human health and remediation. Egyptian Journal of Petroleum, 25, 107–123.
Adams, W. J., Kimetle, R. A., & Barnett Jr., J. W. (1992). Sediment quality and aquatic life assessment. Environmental Science and Technology, 26, 1865–1875.
Asagbra, M. C., Adebayo, A. S., Anumudu, C. I., Ugwumba, O. A., & Ugwumba, A. A. A. (2015). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water, sediment and fish from the Warri River at Ubeji, Niger Delta, Nigeria. African Journal of Aquatic Science, 40, 193–199.
ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry), 2012. Case studies in environmental medicine. Toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/pah/docs/pah.pdf (accessed August, 2018).
Baran, A., Tarnawski, M., Urbanski, K., Klimkowicz-Pawlas, S., & I. (2015). Concentration, sources, and risk assessment of PAHs in bottom sediments. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24, 23180–23195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9944-y.
Baumard, P., Budzinski, H., Michon, Q., Garrigues, P., Burgeot, T., & Bellocq, J. (1998). Origin and bioavailability of PAHs in the Mediterranean Sea from mussel and sediment records. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Science., 47, 77–90.
Bennett, B., Chen, M., Brincat, D., Gelin, F. J. P., & Larter, S. R. (2002). Fractionation of benzocarbazoles between source rocks and petroleums. Organic Geochemistry, 33, 545–559.
Bragato, M., Joshi, K., Carlson, J. B., Tenorio, J. A. S., & Levendis, Y. A. (2012). Combustion of coal bagasse and blends thereof: part II: speciation of PAH emissions. Fuel, 96, 51–58.
Brandli, R. C., Bucheli, T. D., Kupper, T., Mayer, J., Stadelmann, F. X., & Tarradellas, J. (2007). Fate of PCBs, PAHs and their source characteristic ratios during composting and digestion of source-separated organic waste in full-scale plants. Environmental Pollution, 148, 520–528.
Bremner, J.M. and Mulvaney, G.S. (1982) Nitrogen total: In Page et al (ed.) Methods of soil analysis. American Society of Agronomy No 9, Madison, W.I. pp. 595 – 624.
Budzinski, H., Jones, L., Bellocq, J., Pienard, C., & Garrigues, P. (1997). Evaluation of sediment contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Gironde estuary. Marine Chemistry, 58, 85–97.
Chen, Y., Jia, R., & Yang, S. (2015). Distribution and source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water dissolved phase, suspended particulate matter and sediment from Weihe river in northwest China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12, 14148–14163.
DoE (Department of Ecology), Washington, USA, (2007). Evaluating the toxicity and assessing the carcinogenic risks of environmental mixtures using toxicity equivalency factors. https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/clarc/FocusSheets/tef.pdf. Accessed June, 2017.
Downard, J., Singh, A., Bullard, R., Jayarathne, T., Rathnayake, C., Simmons, D. L., Wells, B. R., Spak, S. N., Peters, T., Beardsley, D., Stanier, C., & Stone, E. A. (2015). Uncontrolled combustion of shredded tires in a landfill-Part 1: characterization of gaseous and particulate emissions. Atmospheric Environment, 104, 195–204.
Duodo, G. O., Ogogo, K. N., Mummullage, S., Harden, F., Goonetilleke, A., & Ayoko, G. A. (2016). Source apportionment and risk assessment of PAHs in Brisbane River sediment Australia. Ecological Indicators. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.10.038.
Edokpayi, J. N., Odiyo, J. O., Popoola, O. E., & Msagati, T. A. M. (2016). Determination and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rivers, sediments and wastewater effluents in Vhembe District, South Africa. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13, 387–399.
Environment Canada. (1995). Toxicity testing of national contaminated site remediation program priority substances for development of soil quality criteria for contaminated sites. Ottawa: Technical report for environmental conservation service.
Gauthier, T.D. 1986. Interaction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with dissolved and sediment associated humic materials (NMR, Fluorescence). Doctoral Dissertations, University of New Hampshire, Durham.
Harris, K. A., Yunker, M. B., Dangerfield, N., & Ross, P. S. (2011). Sediment-associated aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in coastal British Columbia, Canada: Concentrations, composition and associated risks to protected sea otters. Environmental Pollution, 159, 2665–2674.
Hsieh, C. Y., Lee, C. L., Miaw, C. L., Wang, Y. K., & Gau, H. S. (2010). Characteristics and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments from Donggang River and tributaries, Taiwan. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A, Toxic/Hazardous Substances & Environmental Engineering, 13, 1689–1701.
Ibeneme, S. I., Ibe, K. K. Selemo, A. O. Udensi, S. C., Nwagbara, J. O., Eze, I. O., Ubechu, B. O., Onwuka, C. O. (2013). Geoelectrical Assessment of a Proposed Dam Site around Ehuhe area of Oji River, Southeasten Nigeria. Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 3(13), 163–170
Jackson, M. (1958). Soil chemical analysis. In An advance course. University of E Wisconsin, Madison.
Jiang, B., Zheng, H. L., Huang, G. Q., Ding, H., Li, X. G., Suo, H. T., & Li, R. (2007). Characteristics and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of Haihe River, Tianjin, China. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 19, 306–311.
Jiao, H., Rui, X., Wu, S., Bai, Z., Zhuang, X., & Huang, Z. (2015). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Dagang Oilfield (China): distribution, sources, and risk assessment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12, 5775–5791.
Kailizadeth, F. (2015). Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and sediments of the Soltan Abad River, Iran. The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research, 41, 227–231.
Keshavarzifard, M., Zakaria, M. P., Hwai, T. S., Yusuff, F. M., & Mustafa, S. (2015). Distributions and source apportionment of sediment-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and hopanes in rivers and estuaries of Peninsular Malaysia. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 22, 9424–9437.
Klimkowicz-Pawlas, A., Smreczak, B., & Ukalska-Jaruga, A. (2017). The impact of selected soil organic matter fractions on the PAH accumulation in the agricultural soils from areas of different anthropopressure. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24, 10955–10965.
Li, J., Dong, H., Zhang, D., Han, B., Zhu, C., Liu, S., Liu, X., Ma, Q., & Li, X. (2015). Source and ecological risk assessment of PAHs in surface sediments from Bohai Sea and northern part of the Yellow Sea., China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 96, 485–490.
Li, X., Hou, L., Li, Y., Liu, M., Lin, X., & Cheng, L. (2016). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and black carbon in intertidal sediments of China coastal zones: concentration, ecological risk, source and their relationship. Science of the Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.05.212.
Lindgren, J. F., Hassellov, I.-M., & Dahllof, I. (2014). PAH effects on meio- and microbial benthic communities strongly depend on bioavailability. Aquatic Toxicology, 146, 230–238.
Liu, N., Li, X., Zhang, D., Liu, Q., Xiang, L., Liu, K., Yan, D., & Li, Y. (2016). Distribution, sources, and ecological risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments from the Nantong Coast China. Marine Pollution Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.09.020.
Long, E. R., Macdonald, D. D., Smith, S. L., & Calder, F. D. (1995). Incidence of adverse biological effects within ranges of chemical concentrations in marine and estuary sediments. Environmental Management, 19, 81–97.
Macdonald, D. D., Carr, R. S., Calder, F. D., Long, E. R., & Ingersoll, C. G. (1996). Development and evaluation of sediment quality guidelines for Florida coastal waters. Ecotoxicology, 5, 253–278.
Malik, A., Verma, P., Singh, A. K., & Singh, K. P. (2011). Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and bed sediments of the Gomti River, India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 172, 529–545.
Meador, J. P., Stein, J. E., Reichert, W. L., & Varanasi, U. (1995). Bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by marine organisms. Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 143, 79–165.
Nelson, D.N., and Sommers, L.E. (1982) Total organic carbon and organic matter: In methods of soilanalysis Part II. Page, A.L. (ed.) American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America. Madison W.I. pp. 539 – 579.
Niemy, C. 2013. Policy forum 3 (Human Health Criteria and Implementation Tools Rule-making). Acceptable risk levels for carcinogens: their history, current use, and how they affect surface water quality criteria. http://www.tmw-law.com/news-pdf/SWQSPolicyForumRiskLevel%2002-08-213.pdf. Accessed September, 2017.
Nisbet, I. C. T., & LaGoy, P. K. (1992). Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Regulation and Toxicological Pharmocology., 16, 290–300.
Oghenenyoreme, E.M., & Njoku, O. P. (2014) Physicochemical Analysis of Water Resources in Selected Part of Oji River and Its Environs, Enugu State Southeastern Nigeria. International Journal of Innovation and Science Research, 10(1), 171–178
Soclo, H. H., Garrigues, P. H., & Ewald, M. (1999). Origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coastal marine sediments: case studies in Cotonou (Benin) and Aquitaine (France) areas. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 40, 387–396.
Soliman, Y. S., Ansari, E. M. S. A., & Wade, T. L. (2014). Concentration, composition and sources of PAHs in the coastal sediments of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Qatar, Arabian Gulf. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 85, 542–548.
Sun, C., Zhang, J., Ma, Q., Zhang, F., & Chen, Y. (2015). Risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments from a mixed-use reservoir. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal. https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2015.1079775.
Swartz, R. C. (1999). Consensus sediment quality guidelines for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons mixtures. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 18, 780–787.
Ugochukwu, U. C., Ochonogor, A., Jidere, C. M., Agu, C., Nkoloagu, F., Ewoh, J., & Okwu-Delunzu, V. U. (2018). Exposure risks to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by humans and livestock (cattle) due to hydrocarbon Spill from petroleum products in Niger-delta wetland. Environment International, 115, 38–47.
Varanasi, U., Reichert, W. L., Stein, J. E., Brown, D. W., & Sanborn, H. R. (1985). Bioavailabilty and biotransformation of aromatic hydrocarbons in benthic organisms exposed to sediments from an urban estuary. Environmental Science and Technology, 19, 836–841.
Verbruggen, E.M.J. and van Herwijnen, R 2011. Environmental risk limits for phenanthrene. RIVM Letter Report 601357007/2011
Wakeham, S. G., & Canuel, E. A. (2015). Biogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of the San Joaquin River in California (USA), and current paradigms on their formation. Environmental Science and Pollution Rsearch, 23, 10426–10442. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5402-x.
Wang, C., Zou, X., Zhao, Y., Li, B., Song, Q., Li, Y., & Yu, W. (2016). Distribution, sources, and ecological risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the water and suspended sediments from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23, 17158–17170.
Xu, J., Wang, H., Sheng, L., Liu, X., & Zheng, X. (2017). Distribution characteristics and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Momoge Wetland, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(85), 1–15.
Yunker, M. B., Macdonald, R. W., Vingarzan, R., Mitchell, R. H., Goyette, D., & Sylvestre, S. (2002). PAHs in the Fraser River basin: a critical appraisal of PAH ratios as indicators of PAH source and composition. Organic Geochemistry, 33, 489–515.
Zakaria, M. P., Takada, H., Tsutsumi, S., Ohno, K., Yamada, J., Kouno, E., & Kumata, H. (2002). Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in rivers and estuaries in Malaysia. A widespread input of petrogenic PAHs. Environmental Science and Technology, 36, 1907–1918.
Zeng, Q., Jeppesen, E., Gu, X., Mao, Z., & Chen, H. (2018). Distribution, fate and risk assessment of PAHs in water and sediments from an aquaculture. Chemosphere. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.03.031.
Zhang, D., Liu, J., Jiang, X., Cao, K., Yin, P., & Zhang, X. (2016). Distribution, sources and ecological risk assessment of PAHs in surface sediments from the Luan River Estuary, China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 102, 223–229.
Acknowledgements
We also appreciate the staff of the Centre for Environmental Management and Control, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus for all their support.
Funding
Financial assistance was received from Wilton Services Nigeria Limited in the course of this project.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ugochukwu, U.C., Onuorah, A.L., Okwu-Delunzu, V.U. et al. Effects of power station and abattoir on PAH input into sediments of Oji River: ecological and human health exposure risks. Environ Monit Assess 191, 775 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7917-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7917-y