Environmental Impact of Petroleum Hydrocarbons from Artisanal Refineries on Surface Water in the Niger Delta

Artisanal petroleum refining in Nigeria is considered as an organized and well-orchestrated environmental crime with propelling disagreements and security problems within the Niger Delta. The study was aimed at quantifying the level of petroleum hydrocarbons that artisanal refineries release into the marine environments that surround them. Water samples were taken from rivers in four different LGAs in Rivers State: Omuma, Emuoha, Etche, and Eleme. The samples were sent to the lab to undergo hydrocarbon analysis. Agilent 6890N Gas Chromatograph - Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) was used to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH). Samples from an artisanal refining area in Emuoha had the highest TPH content of 1,913.6 mg/l; highest phenanthrene PAH concentration of 172.42 mg/l recorded in Etche, Data gathered revealed possible pollution hotspots in Eleme and Etche, where greater amounts of certain PAHs were reported, thereby illuminating the varied distribution of PAHs across diverse water sources. While the impacted regions of Eleme and Etche are in dire need of environmental and health remedies, the risk in Emohua is lesser. To lessen the impact on public health, identified regions should enact effective regulations, pollution control measures, and community health protection programs.