The Niger Delta region of Nigeria is heavily impacted by petroleum explora-tion,refining activities,and industrial emissions,contributing to widespread aerial petro-pollutant contamination.This study investigates the ...The Niger Delta region of Nigeria is heavily impacted by petroleum explora-tion,refining activities,and industrial emissions,contributing to widespread aerial petro-pollutant contamination.This study investigates the hydrochemi-cal dispersion and geospatial correlation of atmospheric petroleum hydrocar-bons(TPH)deposited through rainfall within selected locations in Rivers State,Nigeria.Thirty-four rainwater samples were collected from seven distinct sub-regional study locations:Obigbo,Komkom,Obiama,Okoloma,Egberu,Umu Agbai,and Obete.Hydrochemical analyses were conducted using gas chroma-tography-flame ionization detection(GC-FID)to quantify total petroleum hy-drocarbons(TPH),with detailed compositional profiling of aliphatic hydro-carbons(C8-C40)and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs).The disper-sion analysis employed Hexbin density mapping,Contour visualization,and spatial interpolation techniques to delineate pollution hotspots,revealing sig-nificant contamination gradients across the study region.The correlation ma-trix assessed interrelationships between hydrocarbon fractions and geographic positioning,identifying strong positive correlations(r>0.9)between TPH and total aliphatic hydrocarbons(TAH),suggesting transportation and industrial emissions as primary sources.PAHs exhibited localized concentration spikes,particularly near gas flaring zones and commercial hubs,implicating fossil fuel combustion,industrial activities,and long-range pollutant transport as domi-nant contamination mechanisms.Geospatial analysis indicates higher hydro-carbon deposition in the Western and Northern regions,with Obigbo and Okoloma experiencing the most significant contamination.The study high-lights rainfall as a key vector for atmospheric petrochemical deposition,with implications for water quality,ecosystem health,and human exposure risks.These findings emphasize the need for stricter environmental monitoring,reg-ulatory enforcement of industrial emissions,and strategic efforts to mitigate hydrocarbon pollution in petroleum-producing regions.展开更多
文摘The Niger Delta region of Nigeria is heavily impacted by petroleum explora-tion,refining activities,and industrial emissions,contributing to widespread aerial petro-pollutant contamination.This study investigates the hydrochemi-cal dispersion and geospatial correlation of atmospheric petroleum hydrocar-bons(TPH)deposited through rainfall within selected locations in Rivers State,Nigeria.Thirty-four rainwater samples were collected from seven distinct sub-regional study locations:Obigbo,Komkom,Obiama,Okoloma,Egberu,Umu Agbai,and Obete.Hydrochemical analyses were conducted using gas chroma-tography-flame ionization detection(GC-FID)to quantify total petroleum hy-drocarbons(TPH),with detailed compositional profiling of aliphatic hydro-carbons(C8-C40)and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs).The disper-sion analysis employed Hexbin density mapping,Contour visualization,and spatial interpolation techniques to delineate pollution hotspots,revealing sig-nificant contamination gradients across the study region.The correlation ma-trix assessed interrelationships between hydrocarbon fractions and geographic positioning,identifying strong positive correlations(r>0.9)between TPH and total aliphatic hydrocarbons(TAH),suggesting transportation and industrial emissions as primary sources.PAHs exhibited localized concentration spikes,particularly near gas flaring zones and commercial hubs,implicating fossil fuel combustion,industrial activities,and long-range pollutant transport as domi-nant contamination mechanisms.Geospatial analysis indicates higher hydro-carbon deposition in the Western and Northern regions,with Obigbo and Okoloma experiencing the most significant contamination.The study high-lights rainfall as a key vector for atmospheric petrochemical deposition,with implications for water quality,ecosystem health,and human exposure risks.These findings emphasize the need for stricter environmental monitoring,reg-ulatory enforcement of industrial emissions,and strategic efforts to mitigate hydrocarbon pollution in petroleum-producing regions.
