Imo State

Efficacy of E-Safe Product in Decontamination of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soil (Published)

Effectiveness of E-safe© product in the recovery of soil contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) was investigated at the Teaching and Research Laboratory of the Department of Microbiology, Hezekiah University, Umudi, Imo State. The study was conducted on soil sample collected from aged crude oil polluted site in Rivers State.The top soil (0-30cm) was sieved using a 5mm mesh to remove gravel and debris prior to analysis. The pH, Phosphate, Nitrate, and TPH levels in the soil were analyzed using well established standard analytical protocols. E-safe product was artificially spiked in each of the 4kg soil at 0 ml, 6 ml, 12 ml, 24 ml, and 48 ml and arranged in a Completely Randomized Design. The percentage degradation of TPH in soil was monitored for a period of four (4) weeks. Results obtained showed that the soil pH was slightly acidic to basic. The findings showed Nitrate (4.97 – 24.42 ppm) and phosphate (0.134 – 0.53 ppm) ranges for both treated and control soils within the period. About 88.41% TPH degradation was achieved at 48 ml followed by 24 ml (75.63%) while the least percentage removal of TPH was recorded in the control (2.30%). The study further showed that soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbon altered soil physicochemistry, but more than 50% of the polluted soils were recovered by treatment with E-safe product at 48 ml, 24 ml and 12 ml respectively. The mineral components of the E-safe product could have acted as effective substance in the total removal of oil contaminants in the contaminated soil.  

Keywords: Biodegradation, E-safe, Imo State, Soil, TPH

Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality at Nekede and Naze Dumpsites, Imo State, South East Nigeria (Published)

Environmental pollution is one potential consequence of lack of proper management of municipal solid waste. The study was carried out to evaluate on-site air quality at Nekede and Naze dumpsites with respect to dry and wet seasons. Samples were measured at six (6) sampling points within and around the field using a series of calibrated hand held air quality monitoring equipment. At each sampling point, nine (9) air quality parameters (particulate matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) Hydrogen sulphide (H₂S), Ammonia (NH₃), Sulphur dioxide (SO₂), Methane (CH₄), Carbon dioxide (CO₂), Carbon monoxide (CO) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) were measured.Results showed that PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were detected in all stations of both dumpsites in both seasons. The highest values for all parameters measured were at the dumpsites except for CO which increased as distance progressed off the dumpsite. The CO ranged 0.42-0.94ppm at Nekede dumpsite and 0.20-1.12 ppm at Naze dumpsite during the dry season with the lowest values measured at station NKAQ1 and NZAQ1 with corresponding values of 0.42 and 0.20 ppm. CH₄ was less than 0.01 ppm at NZAQ3 in both seasons under study. All parameters measured were higher in Nekede area than Naze except for NH₃ which ranged 0.01- 0.15 ppm and 0.02-0.17 ppm respectively for both seasons. Generally NKAQ3 and NZAQ3 which all served as control stations had the lowest concentration of all parameters measured but otherwise for CO. Result further revealed that all parameters except CO exceeded the concentration values stipulated by USEPA and WHO, implying serious health implications in the study area. Results from this study calls for proper waste management system to ameliorate air pollution in the study area.

Keywords: Environment, Imo State, Pollution, air quality

Soil Chemical Quality Assessment of Some Land Uses In Imo State, Nigeria (Published)

This study was conducted in Imo State, Nigeria to assess the Chemical quantities of some land using soil management assessment framework (SMSF) techniques. Three land uses namely; the grass land, continuously croppedand forest land. Soil profile representations were established in each of the physiographic units and soil samples collected from the pedogenetic horizons for the analysis of some chemical properties. The chemical properties investigated were the soil pH.organiccarbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, the exchangeable cations of calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, cation exchange capacity and electrical conductivity. Analytical values obtained using the SMAF were combined into quantitative index based on the critical value of the soil properties. The results of this study showed that the grass land, continuously cropped and forest land were moderately acidic with mean pH values 5.43, 5.38, and 5.65. The organic matter contents were low in grass land and continuously cropped with mean values of 0.43 and 0.41 but moderate in the forest land with mean value of 0.82. Total K, available P and exchangeable K were low in grassland and continuously cropped with mean value of 0.96gkg^-1, 0.85gkg^-1 for N, 12.20mgkg-¹, and 12.14mgkg^-1 for P in grass land and continuously cropped respectively. The forest land had high sodium content with mean value of 0.74 and high electrical conductivity with a mean 4.91 dsm^-1. The results revealed high chemical quality of forest land and low to moderate qualities of the grass land and continuously cropped.

Keywords: Assessment, Imo State, land use, soil chemical quality