The goal of this study was to investigate into the negative impacts that the presence of plastic waste in the communities located in the Niger Delta may have on the environment and human health. The following physico-chemical properties of the water, fish, sediment, and human blood samples were measured and analyzed: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, temperature, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and phosphate. Furthermore, an assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was included of the inquiry. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to measure the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Version 25.0. Standard deviation, mean, and percentage were among the descriptive statistical metrics used. Furthermore, inferential statistical techniques like Turkey’s Test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to determine the presence of this correlation within a 0.05 confidence interval. The study’s findings showed that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) congeners came in 10, 9, and 11 distinct varieties in fish, water, and human blood, respectively. Therefore, it is essential to conduct routine monitoring to assess the effects that waste plastic is having on the aquatic resources and the local people in the Niger Delta. This will help evaluate how these environmental risks are now manifesting and how they affect public health.
Keywords: Communities, Environment, Hazard, Waste., plastic
