Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs) Pollution Status of Soil, Water, and Edible Vegetables Within Cashew Nut Processing Clusters in Enugu, Nigeria

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil, water, and edible plants within cashew nut processing clusters in Enugu, Nigeria. Following liquid–liquid and solid–liquid extractions, the concentration of sixteen PAHs congeners were determined using gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector (GC‐FID). To predict the potential sources of these PAHs, a diagnostic ratio guide was employed and principal component analysis was performed. Mutagenic equivalent concentration, human health risk assessment, and ecological risk assessment were performed. The identified PAHs had concentration range: 786.31–2589.46 µg/kg in soil, 33.78–5476.37 µg/L in water, and 561.47–3047.84 µg/kg in vegetables. Except for one location, the vegetables had higher levels of low molecular weight PAHs, while high molecular weight PAHs were more prevalent in the water. The results showed that the studied location has a fair amount of PAH pollution, mostly from pyrogenic sources though the source apportionment models predicted multi‐sources. The ecological risk assessment indicated acenaphthene to be the most contributing contaminant while the health risk evaluations indicated that consumers of water and vegetables from this area may have risk for non‐carcinogenic health problems. There were substantial mutagenic equivalent quantities, and BaP metabolites were probably responsible. The study reveals that inefficient burning of biomass and fossil fuels has resulted in significant levels of PAH contamination in the surrounding cashew nut processing clusters, and these activities should be controlled.