ABSTRACT
This study is carried out to examine the Assessment of the impact of crude oil contaminated soil and plants in Umuorie Community, Ukwa West Local Government area of Abia State. Soil and plants samples used were collected at the polluted and non polluted sites of Umuorie community, Ukwa West Local government Area Abia State. The polluted and unpolluted soils samples were collected at the depths of 0-10cm and 10-20cm respectively. Polluted soil sample was collected 1000m apart from the unpolluted soil site which served for the control. Four plant species found growing in the polluted soil are Cyperus difformis, Calopogonium mucunoides, Spermacoce verticillata, and Urena lobata. The soil samples were analyzed for physicochemical, heavy metals, hydrocarbon and microbial count using standard methods. Plant samples were analyzed for heavy metal (roots and leaves), hydrocarbon and phyto-chemical composition using standard methods. Physicochemical analysis shows the pH value for the polluted top and sub soil were 4.74±0.03% and 4.10±0.01% respectively compared to unpolluted top and sub soil value of 5.62±0.01% and 5.46±0.06% respectively. Electrical conductivity polluted top and sub soil were 96.50±3.54cmol/kg and 92.00±1.41cmol/kg respectively, compared to the unpolluted top and sub soil value of 55.00±2.83cmol/kg and 55.50±0.07cmol/kg respectively. The average population of the bacterial top and sub soil for the polluted soil was 1.87x106 and 0.87x106 respectively compared to the unpolluted top and sub soil of 3.83x106 and 5.47x106 respectively. Bacterial such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus faecalis and Salmonella species were also found. Fungal such as Aspergilus species, Penicillium species, mucor species and Saccharomyces species. The result of the heavy metal composition of the polluted soil shows that the top and sub soil has higher values of the metals evaluated (Cu, Fe, and Zn) compared to the unpolluted top and sub soil. The result of the total hydrocarbon content of the polluted top and sub soil was higher compared to the unpolluted top and sub soil. The result of the total hydrocarbon composition of the polluted plants showed that polluted plants were heavily contaminated with crude oil compared to the unpolluted with zero values for all the studied plants. The result of phyto-chemical properties of the polluted and unpolluted plant samples shows that the polluted plants phyto-chemical composition were lower in almost all the evaluated (Alkaloids, Phenol, Saponin and Taninn) contents compared to the unpolluted plants. The result of the heavy metal composition of root and leaves showed the polluted root and leaf accumulated high level of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe and Zn) compared to the unpolluted plant (roots and leaves). It can be observed that the physicochemical, microbial, heavy metals, phytochemical and hydrocarbon content of the soil and plants of Umuorie were greatly altered. This could be detrimental to lives, vegetation and health of the community. Therefore, the researcher recommend among others, measures should be taken to prevent further oil spillage in the area while efforts should be made at eradicating the oil spills that is already in the soil of Umuorie community.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables x
Abstract xi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Statement
of Problem 2
1.3 Justification 3
1.4 Aim and Objectives
3
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 The Effect of Crude Oil Contamination on Soil 5
2.1.1 Types of
Oil Spillage 6
2.2 Effect of Crude Oil Contaminated Soil on
Physicochemical
Properties
of the Soil 7
2.3 Effect
of Crude Oil Contaminated Soil on the Soil Microbial Content 8
2.4 Effect of Crude Oil Contaminated Soil on
the Heavy
Metal
Uptake of Plants 9
2.5 Effect of Crude Oil Contaminated Soil on
the Hydrocarbon
Content
of Soil and Plant Uptake 12
2.6 Effect
of crude Oil spillage on phyto-chemical Composition of Plants 14
2.7 Botany
of the Plants 15
2.7.1 Botany
of the plant Spermacoce verticilata 15
2.7.2 Botany of the plant Cyperus difformis 17
2.7.3 Botany
of the plant Urena lobata 19
2.7.4: Botany of the plant Calopogonium mucunoides 21
CHAPTER 3: MATERIALS AND
METHODS
3.1
Study Area 25
3.2
Sample Collection 26
3.3 Identification of Plant Species 26
3.4 Determination of
Physicochemical Properties of Soil 26
3.5 Determination of
Microbial Count 27
3.5.1 Inoculation 27
3.5.2 Incubation 28
3.5.3 Microscopy and
identification 28
3.6
Determination of Heavy Metals
Composition (HMC) 29
3.6.1 Determination of
phosphorus 29
3.6.2
Preparation of the sample 29
3.7 Determination
Total of Hydrocarbon Content (THC) 30
3. 8 Determination
of Phyto-chemical Composition 30
3.8.1 Determination of
alkaloid 30
3.8.2 Determination
of tanins 31
3.8.3 Determination
of phenol 32
3.8.4 Determination of saponins 33
3.9 Statistical
Analysis 34
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Results 35
4.1.1 Heavy
metal composition of the polluted and unpolluted Soil samples 35
4.1.2 Physicochemical
properties of the polluted and unpolluted Soil samples 37
4.1.3
Phyto-chemical composition of polluted
and unpolluted
different
plant samples 40
4.1.4 Microbial composition of the polluted and
unpolluted Oil samples 43
4.1.5 Hydrocarbon composition of the polluted and
unpolluted
Soil and plant leaves samples 45
4.1.6 Heavy metal composition of the polluted and
unpolluted
plant root samples 47
4.1.7 Heavy metal composition of the polluted and
unpolluted
plant leaves samples 49
4.2 Discussion 50
4.2.1 Heavy
metal composition of the Soil 51
4.2.2 Physicochemical
composition of the Soil 52
4.2.3 Effect
of crude Oil contamination on microbial composition of the Soil 54
4.2.4 Effect
of crude Oil pollution on phyto-chemical composition 55
4.2.5 Effect of crude Oil on hydrocarbon content
of Soil and leaves 56
4.2.6 Effect
of crude Oil spill on heavy metal content of plant roots and leaves 57
CHAPTER
5:
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1
Conclusion 59
5.2
Recommendation 60
References 61
Appendices 71
LIST
OF TABLES
4.1:
Heavy metal composition of polluted and unpolluted soil samples 36
4.2: Physicochemical composition of polluted and
unpolluted soil samples 39
4.3:
Phyto-chemical composition of Polluted and unpolluted plant leaves 42
4.4:
Microbial composition of polluted and unpolluted soil samples 44
4.5: Total
hydrocarbon composition of the polluted and
unpolluted soil and plant leaves samples 46
4.6: Heavy
metal composition of the polluted and
unpolluted
plant root samples 48
4.7:
Heavy metal composition of the polluted and
unpolluted
plant leaves samples 50
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
It
is obvious that spillage of crude oil in the environment is damaging. The
situation is complex with many factors contributing to it. This is primarily
due to expansion of oil exploration and exploitation (Ayodele, 2019). In
Nigeria, the discovery of oil ‘the black gold’ in 1957 (at Olobiri in Niger
Delta region) brought with its attendant effect of oil spillage on soil which
is the major source of food production in the rural communities, Sabo et al.,
(2018). The spill affects economic and social activities of the community
members who take farming as their main occupation. There is no doubt the
Nigerian oil industry has affected the country in a variety of ways such as, it
has fashioned a remarkable economic landscape for the country. However oil
spill on soil on the negative side, do not only affects human but also
agricultural activities such as germinating and grown plants (Essien and John, 2010).
It affects human and animal as their sources of food are stained with spills of
oil which they cannot consume any longer. Irrespective of benefits of oil to
the country and world at large, the negative impact on socio-economic life and
the environment of immediate oil producing communities and its inhabitants has
left balance sheet of ecological and socio-physical disaster. (Ofomata, 2010).
Crude oil spillage has a major negative impact on the ecosystem and one of the
various ways that it is made possible is through leakages from old, corroded
and poorly maintained pipelines. The effect of oil resources extraction on the
environment of the Niger Delta has had a lot of negative effect on the region
as enumerated by Eteng, (2012). Badejo and Nwilo, (2004) noted that growth of
the country’s oil industry, combined with a population explosion and a lack of
environmental regulations led to substantial damage to Nigerian’s farm lands,
especially in the Niger Delta region, the center of the country’s oil industry.
The environmental consequences of oil pollution on the inhabitants of oil
producing states are enormous. Oil spills have degraded most agricultural lands
in the area and have turned hitherto productive areas into wastelands. With
increasing soil infertility due to the destruction of soil micro-organisms, and
dwindling agricultural productivity, farmers have been forced to abandon their
land, to seek non-existent alternative means of livelihood (Odukoya et al.,
2019). Aquatic lives have also been destroyed with the pollution of traditional
fishing grounds, exacerbating hunger and poverty in fishing communities. The
most common and important symptoms observed in the plants contaminated with oil
and its by-products include the degradation of chlorophyll (Malallah et al., 1998). Agricultural activity
being a prerogative of human being
regardless of the geographical location, hence there is need to study impacts of crude
oil spillage on the soil and plant species in Umuorie Community, Ukwa West
local government area of Abia State.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Crude
oil spill is on the increase in oil producing communities of Nigeria especially
in Umuorie, Ukwa West LGA of Abia State with less concern about protection of
natural resources of the area. Crude oil spills within the zone are mainly
caused by equipment failure, operational errors and leakages from obsolete
pipes or willful damage (Vandalization).
These areas have been severely damaged, contributing to increased
biodiversity loss, pollution of soil and land resources, deforestation and
distortion of the natural ecosystem which has culminated to poverty for the
farmers as a result of the loss of their livelihood. The presence of crude oil
spillage causes a major negative impact on the soil, which will affect the
nutrient quality of plants available to people and animals as they are
consuming the plant from this area which can result into respiratory damage,
liver damage, decreased immunity, increased cancer rate, reproductive damage
and higher levels of some toxics (hydrocarbons and heavy metals) Ekundayo and
Obuekwe, (2010). Hence the need to find out impacts of crude oil spill on the
soil and plants in Umuorie, Ukwa West LGA of Abia State.
1.3 JUSTIFICATION
Due
to importance of plants to man and environment and the impacts of crude oil
spill on environment, this research seeks to address the issue associated with
crude oil spillage on soil and plant in Umuorie. Several researches have been
carried out on the effect of crude oil spillage on soil and plants both within
and outside Nigeria; Delta State Nigeria (Oyem and Oyem 2013, Ayodele, 2019),
Rivers State Nigeria. It is realized that none of these studies had
consideration for Umuorie on the effects of plants growing in the area.
Moreover, this study will not only investigate the impact of crude oil spillage
on the soil and plant heavy metal but will also focus on physicochemical
properties of soil, phyto-chemical and heavy metal composition of plant and
total hydrocarbon content of this crude oil spillage to plant at Umuorie, Ukwa
West LGA of Abia State.
1.4 AIM
AND OBJECTIVES
The
aim of this study are to determine the physicochemical, heavy metal and
hydrocarbon assessment of crude oil polluted soil and plants in Umuorie
community, Ukwa West LGA of Abia State, Nigeria.
The
objectives of this study are to:
1. Determine
the heavy metal content of the polluted and unpolluted soil, copper (Cu), iron
(Fe), and zinc (Zn).
2. Investigate
the physicochemical properties of the crude oil polluted and unpolluted soil,
pH, Electrical conductivity, total organic carbon, Available phosphorous,
potassium, total nitrogen, magnesium,
calcium and sodium.
3. Determine
the effect of the crude oil on the phyto-chemical composition of the polluted
and unpolluted plants.
4. Determine
effect of the crude oil on the microbial composition of the polluted and
unpolluted soil.
5. Determine
the total hydrocarbon content of the polluted and unpolluted plants and soils.
6. Determine
the heavy metal content of the polluted and unpolluted plant parts (root and
leaf) such as cadmium (Cd), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn).
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