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Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
World Bank assisted National Agricultural Research Project (NARP) - University of Port Harcourt
ISSN: 1119-8362
Vol. 19, No. 4, 2015, pp. 719-724
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Bioline Code: ja15090
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge
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Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management, Vol. 19, No. 4, 2015, pp. 719-724
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Characterization of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Post-Burn Crude Oil-Spilled Soils, Gokana, Rivers State, Nigeria
MARK, O. ONYEMA; SAMUEL, E. OFODILE & LEO, C. OSUJI
Abstract
In the Niger delta, crude oil spilled soils are burned as a means of
decontaminating the impacted soils. Gas chromatography - flame ionization detector (GCFID)
analyses were performed on oil residues extracted from burnt spilled oil soil samples to
facilitate detailed chemical composition and characterization of petroleum hydrocarbons. The
concentrations of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHCs) from C13 to C36 were low and range from
363.4 to 439.6 mg/kg, with hydrocarbons burning ≤ C12 and the monocyclic aromatics –
BTEX not detected in all the samples. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)
concentrations, which ranged from 3236.6 to 4190.0 mg/kg, were significantly high and
constituted from 88.26 to 91.25% of total petroleum hydrocarbon compositions in the burnt
spilled oil soil samples. Petroleum hydrocarbon distribution profiles for the AHCs and PAHs
were similar for all the samples and indicated similar alteration source. The compositions of
AHCs were generally low, between 1.13 and 11.18%, while compositions of PAHs varied
considerably from 0.17 to 30.50%. The composition of the 5-6 ring PAHs were between 3.94
- 4.65 times more than the 2-4 ring PAHs. From these results, the burning of spilled oil soils
extensively degraded the AHCs and volatile low molecular weight aromatic hydrocarbons and
generated significant amounts of 5-6 ring PAHs, some of which are carcinogenic.
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