Microbiological and Physicochemical Assessment of Sediment in Bodo Community, Rivers State, Niger Delta

Abstract

Crude oil pollution is common place in the Niger Delta despite well known adverse effects on aquatic and terrestrial biodiversities. Triplicate sediment samples were obtained from Bodo community in Ogoni Land, Niger Delta and made into a composite sample. The sample was then evaluated for physicochemical parameters, heavy metals, total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), polyaromatic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), total heterotrophic bacteria (THBC), and fungi (THFC) using standards methodologies. Concentration profile of heavy metals was iron (Fe) > chromium (Cr) > zinc (Zn) > nickel (Ni) > vanadium (V) in decreasing order. Furthermore, the concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, nitrate, sulphate were 884.53, 12.32, 34.45, and 26.76 mg/kg, respectively. TPH and PAH concentrations were 30,797 and 52.12 mg/kg, respectively. Nitrate, iron, chromium, nickel, TPH, and PAH all failed to meet regulatory standards. TPH failed to meet Environmental Guidelines and Standards for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria (EGASPIN) target and intervention values of 50 and 5,000 mg/kg, respectively. Total heterotrophic bacteria and fungi counts were observed to decrease with days of incubation in crude oil. The findings in the study reveal worrisome levels of TPH, PAH, iron, chromium, and nickel, and impact on microbial diversity. Thus, there is a need for periodic monitoring of sediments and water bodies in the Niger Delta.