Geospatial Quantification of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Wetlands in Egbeoma and Environs (Oil Bearing Communities) Warri North Delta for Pen Aquaculture Adoption as Innovative Technology for Sustainable Development in Nigeria

Oil exploitation often leave on their trails wetlands degradation from products or effluents discharges. This study investigated the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons content in the wetlands in Egbeoma, Aleima, Bear-Town, Odububa and Brohimi oil bearing communities for their suitability for the adoption of pen aquaculture as innovative technology for sustainable development in Nigeria. The study answered 5 research questions and tested a hypothesis. In achieving these, the wetlands in each settlement was mapped into 5 research grids and water samples were collected from 5 spots in each grid bulked, composites drawn were fixed with HNO4 and stored in ice-cooled flasks for analysis. The analytical standards adopted was EU 1881/2014 and the analytical instrument used for determination was Agilent Triple Quadrupole 7000. The mean results obtained were; pyrene, 0.76±0.11μg/l, chrysene, 0.73±0.01 μg/l, BaP, 0.71±0.10 μg/l, BaA, 0.72±0.01 μg/l and BbF, 0.72±0.02 μg/l. The mean results were further subjected to test of significance using ANOVA deploying SPSS IBM model 29 at 0.05 level of significance and the p-value was 0.062 thus accepting H¬o. The study thus concluded that the wetlands in Egbeoma and environs are not polluted with PAHs above the 1881/2014 stipulated concentration thus pen aquaculture can be adopted and deployed as innovative technlogy for sustainable development. The study recommendeded that the oil companies operating in Egbeoma and environs should continue to operate with high ethical standards and with the world best practices for oil industry; furthermore, the monitoring agencies NESREA and NOSDRA should continue with their surveillance to ensure that the oil companies keep up with their operation standards for pristine wetlands in Egbeoma and environs for the adoption of pen aquaculture as innovative technology for sustainable development in Nigeria.