ABSTRACT
Petrochemical industries can potentially impact the environment due to their activities
and products. Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) is of environmental interest because they are toxic to human system and animals. This study was carried out to investigate the level of TPH concentrations in the Nigerian coastal waters and coastal adjoining water bodies. Water samples were collected from 20 location between March, 2014 and January, 2015, comprising 10 coastal water locations and 10 coastal adjoining water bodies.The coastal locations are Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo, Ogun, Lekki, Bar Beach and Badagry, while the coastal adjoining water bodies are Itu River, Marina River, Eleme River, Brass River, Ethiope River, Obineyin Estuary, Oso-Ibanilo Lake, Ikota River, Lagos Lagoon and Gbaji River. Analysis of water samples for TPH concentrations were done using gravimetric method. The result revealed that the mean TPH concentration ranges from 2.44-2.96 mg/l (Cross River), 1.92-3.48 mg/l (Itu River), 1.84-3.06 mg/l (Akwa Ibom), 1.98-3.08 (Marina River), 1.52-2.00 mg/l (Rivers), 1.60-2.18 mg/l (Eleme River), 2.84-4.14 mg/l (Bayelsa), 1.70-2.64 mg/l (Brass River), 2.62-4.46 mg/l (Delta), 1.58-2.70 mg/l (Ethiope River), 1.72-3.40 mg/l (Ondo), 1.66-1.80 mg/l (Obineyin Estuary), 1.46-1.66 mg/l (Ogun), 1.72- 2.06 mg/l mg/l (Oso-Ibanilo), 1.74-2.08 mg/l (Lekki), 1.72-1.98 mg/l (Ikota River), 1.70-2.80 mg/l (Bar Beach), 2.44-2.90 mg/l (Lagos Lagoon), 1.82-2.02 mg/l (Badagry) and 1.76-2.92 mg/l (Gbaji River). Overall, Delta State oceanic water had the maximum mean TPH concentration of 4.4 mg/l in October, while Ogun State oceanic water had the least concentration of 1.46 mg/l in July. Spatially, it was revealed that TPH concentrations were higher in the south-south locations than in the south-west locations. It was further observed that the levels of total petroleum hydrocarbon in this study were less than relative to Nigerian permissible limit of 10 mg/l for inland waters but higher than 0.6 mg/l for groundwater.
