Assessment of PAHs in Borehole Water from the Vicinity of the Delta Steel Company, Warri, Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

Water contamination due to industrialization is a major problem affecting the environment and all life. This work evaluates the existence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in borehole water from Delta Steel Company in Warri, Delta State. The water sample was analysed in accordance with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The concentration of Σ16 PAH in water from the sampling site shows that the concentration was in the range of 23.78 – 125.9 mg/L. The study further shows that groundwater in the area was polluted with both light and heavy PAH concentrations. The light PAH concentrations were about 43.8%, ranging from 26.4 mg/L and 50.04 mg/L. Whereas the heavy PAH concentrations were about 56.2%, ranging from 23.78 mg/L and 125.9 mg/L, with Benzo (a) pyrene at 0.0001 mg/L and 0.002 mg/L for all other PAHs that exceed the World Health Organization permissible limit of 0.002 mg/L. Heavy PAHs were dominant, with benzo(a)fluoranthene accounting for the highest concentration in the samples. The four- five- ring PAHs were the dominant group of PAHs in the study. This observation was attributed to the prolonged industrial practices in the area. Therefore, this study recommends that, for health and safety, the water be subjected to major treatment before consumption.