IRJBB
Research Article
INTRODUCTION
Soil pollution due to oil exploration in Niger Delta, Nigeria
has created consciousness on pollution status of the
environment. Soil is the most valuable component of the
farming ecosystem and environmental sustainability
largely depends on proper soil management (Osuocha et
al., 2013b). Sustainable use of agricultural soil on which
plants depend is absolutely necessary for agricultural
productivity. Osuocha et al., (2016) reported that soil
represents a dynamic system in which continuous
interaction takes place between soil minerals, organic
matter and organisms that influence physicochemical and
biological properties of terrestrial systems. Plants as
essential components of the ecosystem and agrosystems
represent the first component of the terrestrial food chain
due to their capacity of toxic metal accumulation when
Studies on the impact of crude oil exploration on soil quality and crops grown in Kpean community in Khana local government area of Rivers State, Nigeria
Akubugwo et al.
044
Figure 1. Map of Khana LGA, Showing Study Area (Kpean Community and Sites of Samples Collections.
Sample collection
Soil samples and commonly cultivated vegetables and
tuber crops were collected and harvested from farmlands
in Kpean Community in Khana Local Government Area of
Rivers State, Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from
the four cardinal points- North, East, West, South and the
epi centre while the control samples were collected and
harvested from an areas devoid of oil exploration.
Samples of soils were collected with plastic auger 100m
away from the epi centre in each of the four cardinal
points at a depth of 0-50cm and packaged in bags for
laboratory analysis. Samples of the following tuber and
vegetable cultivars were harvested from the same spots
where the soil samples were collected: Cassava (Manihot
spp), Cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta), Yam (Diascoria
rotundata), Water leaf (Talinum. triangulare ) and Fluted
pumpkin (Taliferia occidentalis ).
Studies on the impact of crude oil exploration on soil quality and crops grown in Kpean community in Khana local government area of Rivers State, Nigeria
Method of Analysis
Soil temperature was determined at the site of soil
samples collection using mercury in glass thermometer
(APHA, 1998). The soil pH was determined by the
method of Bates (1954) using air dried soil samples. Soil
moisture and chloride content was determined by the
method of APHA, (1998). Soil sulphate and phosphate
content was determined according to the method
described by Dewis and Freitas (1970). Soil organic
carbon was determined by the method of Walkely and
Black (1934). Soil electrical conductivity was determined
using digital electrical conductivity meter according to the
method described by Whitney (1998). While soil enzymes
such as Alkaline phosphatase, soil dehydrogenase
activities were determined according to Tabatabai (1982)
using calorimetric end point method. Soil hydrogen
peroxidase was determined with titration method
according to Alef and Nannipieri, (1995). Heavy metals in
soil and plant samples were determined by method
described in APHA (1998) while moisture, ash, lipid,
carbohydrate composition of plant samples were
determined by the method of James (1995) While the
method of Change (2003) was used for protein
determination.
045
Studies on the impact of crude oil exploration on soil quality and crops grown in Kpean community in Khana local government area of Rivers State, Nigeria
Akubugwo et al.
047
Table 1. Physicochemical parameters of crude oil polluted kpean Community soils studied.
pH
Electrical
conductivity(
1
dSm- )
Parameters
Temperature
0
( c)
Moisture (%)
Chloride(gkg
1
)
Phosphate(gk
-1
g )
Control
Site A
Site B
25.500.00
b
26.270.01
b
26.830.01
7.120.01
b
5.920.01
c
6.340.01
37.270.01
b
62.000.01
c
52.330.01
55.080.01
b
31.720.01
c
42.550.01
4.990.01
b
2.130.01
c
2.490.01
20.330.01
b
10.090.01
c
12.190.01
36.130.01
b
30.120.01
c
17.910.01
Site C
Site D
Site E
27.120.01
b
26.600.01
c
27.280.01
5.710.01
b
5.750.01
c
6.650.01
25.000.01
e
47.330.01
a
66.000.01
22.060.01
d
24.300.01
e
51.670.01
2.480.01
d
2.300.01
e
5.670.01
8.110.01
e
14.250.01
f
11.770.01
14.660.01
e
22.200.01
f
31.050.01
Values are the mean of triplicate determination standard deviation. Means in the same column having different alphabet
West, Site D= East, Site E= Center
Sulphate(
-1
gkg )
Organic
carbon(
-1
gkg )
Calcium
carbonate(m
-1
gkg ).
0.040.01
a
0.040.01
c
1.050.01
14.100.01
b
0.220.01
c
0.040.01
2.600.01
d
2.540.01
c
1.080.01
0.080.01
e
1.060.01
f
0.250.01
Dehydrogenase
(mg/g/ 6h)
a
21.140.01
b
11.160.01
c
8.720.01
d
12.060.01
e
5.270.01
f
4.050.01
Hydrogen
(mg/g/3h)
a
3.170.01
b
1.360.01
c
1.240.01
d
0.320.01
e
1.310.01
f
1.020.01
peroxidase
2.160.01
b
1.310.01
c
0.710.01
d
1.910.01
e
0.630.01
f
0.900.01
Table 3. Soil heavy metals concentrations (mg/kg) of crude oil polluted Kpean Community soil
Heavy metals
Control
Site A
Site B
Site C
Site D
Site E
Lead
(mg/kg)
a
0.038
b
1.1430.01
b
1.1470.01
c
3.280.01
d
2.1090.01
e
2.7890.01
Zinc
(mg/kg )
a
0.059
b
3.740.01
c
1.300.01
d
2.640.01
e
2.380.01
f
1.020.01
Cadmium (mg/kg)
a
0.014
b
0.330.01
c
0.160.01
d
3.520.01
e
2.390.01
f
4.250.01
Nickel
s (mg/kg)
a
0.046
b
2.360.01
c
3.280.01
d
4.640.01
e
1.860.01
e
1.860.01
Chromium (mg/kg)
a
0.027
b
1.290.01
c
4.590.01
d
0.960.01
e
3.450.01
f
2.290.01
Manganese (mg/kg)
a
0.029
b
2.180.01
c
1.580.01
d
2.1370.01
e
5.410.01
f
2.290.01
Akubugwo et al.
048
Table 4.Heavy metals concentrations (mg/kg) in tuber and vegetables crops grown in crude oil polluted kpean community
Diascoriarotundata
Heavy
metals
(mg/kg)
Lead(Pb)
Control
Test
Zinc(Zn)
0.0230.01
Cadmium(C
d)
Nickel (Ni)
0.0430.01
Chromium(C
r)
Manganese(
Mn)
0.0030.01
0.1080.01
0.2660.01
0.0230.01
Test
Control
Test
Control
Sample
0.0100.01
0.0390.01
0.0300.01
0.0970.01
0.0190.01
0.0530.01
0.0120.01
0.2350.01
0.4150.01
0.2010.01
0.043
b
0.01
0.0200.01
0.0600.01
0.0490.01
0.024
b
0.01
0.0400.01
0.0230.01
0.0450.01
0.0530.01
0.2930.01
0.0130.01
0.0280.01
0.0730.01
0.2900.01
0.0230.01
0.0730.01
0.0250.01
0.0500.01
0.0110.01
0.4500.01
0.0150.01
0.07110.01
0.0280.01
0.0550.01
0.3170.01
0.0300.01
0.2800.01
0.0230.01
0.0220.01
0.031 0.01
Control
Test
0.0530.01
0.0650.01
0.005 0.01
Control
0.0360.01
0.1730.01
Talinium triangulare
0.0180.01
Telferia occidentalis
0.0020.01
0.0900.01
Manihot esculenta
0.1490.01
colocasia esculenta
b
c
0.2180.01
0.1850.01
0.1690.01
e
f
e
f
0.2930.01
0.0530.01
Values represent mean of triplicate determinations Standard deviation. Means in the same column having different alphabet are statistically significant (P<0.05).
Table 5. Proximate composition (%) of tuber and vegetable crops grown in soils of crude oil polluted kpean community.
Moisture (%)
Protein (%)
Lipid
(%)
Fibre (%)
Totalcarbohydrate(
%)
Ash content (%)
Diascoria Rotundata
Control
Test
a
a
68.400.01
67.130.01
b
b
4.200.01
4.150.01
c
c
0.140.01
0.130.01
d
d
0.730.01
0.670.01
e
e
26.050.01
25.490.01
0.350.01
0.780.01
colocasia esulenta
Control
Test
a
a
65.570.01
60.270.01
b
b
3.130.01
3.060.01
c
c
0.790.01
0.200.01
d
d
0.900.01
0.280.01
e
e
25.540.01
24.030.01
0.970.01
0.230.01
Manihot esculenta
Control
Test
a
a
67.900.01
65.080.01
b
b
3.740.01
3.140.01
c
c
0.710.01
0.180.01
d
d
0.770.01
0.380.01
e
e
26.200.01
26.050.01
1.450.01
0.830.01
Telferia occidentalis
Control
Test
a
a
31.130.01
29.000.01
b
b
23.050.01
22.240.01
c
c
1.190.01
1.050.01
d
d
1.790.01
1.000.01
e
e
42.110.01
40.970.01
0.820.01
0.230.01
Talium triangulare
Control
Sample
a
a
27.120.01
23.500.01
b
b
25.180.01
25.320.01
c
c
2.550.01
2.450.01
d
d
1.700.01
2.000.01
e
e
42.610.01
40.050.01
1.400.01
0.280.01
Oil
pollution
generally
increases
the
concentrations of heavy metals (Zhang et al.
2005). Therefore, the concentration of heavy
metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Mn) in polluted soil
samples, tubers crops (yam, cocoyam, and
cassava) and vegetable crops (fluted pumpkin
and water leaf) were higher than those in the
Studies on the impact of crude oil exploration on soil quality and crops grown in Kpean community in Khana local government area of Rivers State, Nigeria
Akubugwo et al.
049
CONCLUSION
This study evaluated impact of crude oil exploration on
soil quality and food crops grown in Kpean Community of
Khana Local Government Area of Rivers state. Results of
this study revealed that petroleum oil spillage negatively
affected the physical and chemical parameters, enzyme
activities and increased the level of heavy metals in soils
and food crops. Nutritional composition of tuber crops
and vegetables were adversely affected compared to
control, indicating the pollution status of the soils where
these plant crops are cultivated. Results of this study
indicate that crude oil pollution of agricultural farmlands in
Kpean Community is yet to be remedied even after 20
years of the spillage. Hence, proper remediation of the
studied area is paramount in order to reduce metal
accumulation and subsequent exposure of the populace
to metal poisoning via food chain.
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Studies on the impact of crude oil exploration on soil quality and crops grown in Kpean community in Khana local government area of Rivers State, Nigeria
Akubugwo et al.
050
Copyright: 2016 Akubugwo et al. This is an openaccess article distributed under the terms of the Creative
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Studies on the impact of crude oil exploration on soil quality and crops grown in Kpean community in Khana local government area of Rivers State, Nigeria