The Physiochemical Indices of Soil Contaminated with Hydrocarbon and Heavy Metals in Petroleum Hydrocarbon Spilled Areas of Bodo and Bomu in Rivers State
1Asira, Enim Enim; A. A. Uwakwe2 & B. A. Amadi2
1Department of Chemistry, Cross River State College of Education, Akamkpa
2Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Email: enimas1965@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The present study was to determine the physiochemical indices of the soil contaminated with hydrocarbon and heavy metals in an oil spilled areas of Gokana local government area of Rivers State. Soil samples collected from two locations each of Apiapum in obubra local government area of cross River state(control) and Bodo/bomu in Gokana local government are of Rivers State, measured 1km by 1km. were selected randomly. The samples were bulked, digested and cleaned. Methods were developed for GC/FID and ICPOES for hydrocarbon and heavy metals respectively. Equally, physiochemical indices of the soils were analysed in line with standard scientific procedures. Statistical analyses was done using mean, standard
deviation percentage and analysis of variance. Results of the study revealed significantly (p≤0.05) higher concentration hydrocarbon (8,534.92±528.03mg/kg) in the contaminated soil than uncontaminated soil
(0.00±0.00mg/kg). Correspondently, general increase in all the heavy metal concentrations except Cd (1.05±0.03mg/kg), and iron (269.13±3.83mg/kg) in contaminated soil was observed. The study also recorded significantly (p≤0.05) higher concentrations of Ca+, K+, and Na+ ions in the contaminated soil than uncontaminated soil. The findings of the study also showed significant higher values of pH(8.3±0.24),total carbon content(1.77±0.07%),organic matter(2.64±0.50%),clayey soil(22.0±2.50%) and silt soil(15.0±2.50%) in the contaminated soil than uncontaminated soil. However, higher values of total nitrogen (0.83±0.04%), electrical conductivity (207.00±44.13μS/cm), available phosphorus (0.68±0.07mg/kg), and moisture content (14.02±2.59%) were revealed in uncontaminated soil than contaminated soil. The study has shown that soil contaminated with hydrocarbon and heavy metal can easily affect the physiochemical properties of the soil.
Key words: Soil contaminated, hydrocarbon, heavy metals, oil spill, and physiochemical indices.
