An Investigation of the Environmental Quality through Anthropogenic Metal Analysis in Targeted Niger Delta Aquatic Systems, Nigeria | Chapter 5 | Geography, Earth Science and Environment: Research Highlights Vol. 2

Background: Water, an essential resource for life and ecosystems, faces increasing threats due to the escalating pace of industrialization, particularly in oil-rich regions like the Niger Delta in Nigeria. This area is a hotspot for petroleum production, where extensive gas flaring and illicit artisanal activities introduce substantial pollutants into the environment, directly impacting the quality of surface and rainwater.

Aims: This study aims to investigate the impact of anthropogenic activities, particularly oil industry operations, on environmental quality in the Oyigbo Local Government Area (L.G.A.), Rivers State, Nigeria, focusing on evaluating heavy metals in water sources affected by gas flaring and petroleum production.

Study Design: This is an environmental quality assessment study, utilizing geochemical and geospatial analysis of water to determine the distribution and impact of heavy metals.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Oyigbo L.G.A., Rivers State, Niger Delta, Nigeria, within a duration of 275 days.

Methodology: A total of 41 water samples were collected, including 34 rainwater and 7 river water samples. The concentrations of four key heavy metals, lead (Pb), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn), were analyzed. Two indices, the Heavy Metals Pollution Index (HPI) and the Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI), were calculated to assess the environmental impact of these metals. Geospatial distribution analysis was performed to identify contamination hotspots. The geospatial analysis involved mapping the spatial distribution of heavy metal concentrations (Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn) at various locations using ArcGIS 10.4 and Microsoft Excel.

Results: Pb levels in rainwater ranged from 0.11 to 2.42 mg/L, with locations like Atata and Okoloma Market, showing concentrations far exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) limit of 0.01 mg/L. River samples also had high Pb levels, peaking at 1.21 mg/L. Cu, Cd, and Zn concentrations were generally within acceptable limits, with Cu ranging from 0.08 to 0.43 mg/L, Cd consistently below 0.003 mg/L, and Zn between 0.018 and 2.011 mg/L.

Conclusion: The HPI identified Pb as the predominant contaminant, and the PERI classified the overall pollution risk as slight, with Pb posing the highest ecological threat. Geospatial analysis revealed Pb contamination was most severe in the northern-central and western parts, while Zn showed localized higher levels, suggesting specific pollution sources. The study highlights the urgency to address Pb contamination, posing significant risks to the area’s environmental and public health. Educating local communities on contamination risks, promoting water purification methods, and supporting ongoing research to monitor vulnerable areas will be essential for safeguarding public health and the environment.

 

Author (s) Details

Nurudeen Onomhoale Ahmed
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

 

Nik Norsyahariati Nik Daud
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

 

Ipoola Ajani Okunlola
Chemical and Geological Sciences Department, Al-Hikmah University, 240281 Ilorin, Nigeria.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/geserh/v2/3212

Land Use and Land Cover Transformations and their Implications for Conservation: A Study in Mukumbura (Ward 2), Mt Darwin, Zimbabwe, 2002-2022 | Chapter 1 | Geography, Earth Science and Environment: Research Highlights Vol. 7

Land use and land cover (LULC) change is a complex and dynamic process influenced by social, economic, and biophysical factors that can cause significant impacts on ecological processes and biodiversity conservation. Understanding trends of land use land cover (LULC) changes is important for biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning, identifying the areas affected by change and designing sustainable solutions to reduce the changes. The study aims to evaluate and quantify the historical changes in land use and land cover in Mukumbura (Ward 2), Mt Darwin, Zimbabwe, from 2002 to 2022. The objective of the study was to analyze the LULC changes in Ward 2 (Mukumbura), Mt Darwin, Northern Zimbabwe, for a period of 20 years using geospatial techniques. Landsat satellite images were processed using Google Earth Engine (GEE) and the supervised classification with maximum likelihood algorithm was employed to generate LULC maps between 2002 and 2022 with a five (5) year interval, investigating the following variables, forest cover, barren land, water cover and the fields. Findings revealed a substantial reduction in forest cover by 38.8%, water bodies (wetlands, ponds, and rivers) declined by 55.6%, whilst fields (crop/agricultural fields) increased by 93.3% and the barren land cover increased by 26.3% from 2002 to 2022. These findings point to substantial changes in LULC over the observed years. LULC changes have resulted in habitat fragmentation, reduced biodiversity, and the disruption of ecosystem functions. The study concludes that if these deforestation trends, cultivation, and settlement land expansion continue, the ward will have limited indigenous fruit trees. Therefore, the causes for LULC changes must be controlled, sustainable forest resources use practiced, hence the need to domesticate the Indigenous fruit trees in Arborloo toilets. Detailed research of the links between land-cover classes that increased in hectares and those that declined is recommended to establish the real drivers of LULC changes in the study area.

 

Author (s) Details

Musekiwa Innocent Maruza
Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe.

Edson Gandiwa
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Harare, Zimbabwe.

 

Never Muboko
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Harare, Zimbabwe.

 

Ishmael Sango
Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe.

 

Tawanda Tarakini
Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe.

 

Nobert Tafadzwa Mukomberanwa
Department of Geoinformatics and Environmental Conservation, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/geserh/v7/4292

An Investigation of the Environmental Quality through Anthropogenic Metal Analysis in Targeted Niger Delta Aquatic Systems, Nigeria | Chapter 5 | Geography, Earth Science and Environment: Research Highlights Vol. 2

 

Background: Water, an essential resource for life and ecosystems, faces increasing threats due to the escalating pace of industrialization, particularly in oil-rich regions like the Niger Delta in Nigeria. This area is a hotspot for petroleum production, where extensive gas flaring and illicit artisanal activities introduce substantial pollutants into the environment, directly impacting the quality of surface and rainwater.

Aims: This study aims to investigate the impact of anthropogenic activities, particularly oil industry operations, on environmental quality in the Oyigbo Local Government Area (L.G.A.), Rivers State, Nigeria, focusing on evaluating heavy metals in water sources affected by gas flaring and petroleum production.

Study Design: This is an environmental quality assessment study, utilizing geochemical and geospatial analysis of water to determine the distribution and impact of heavy metals.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Oyigbo L.G.A., Rivers State, Niger Delta, Nigeria, within a duration of 275 days.

Methodology: A total of 41 water samples were collected, including 34 rainwater and 7 river water samples. The concentrations of four key heavy metals, lead (Pb), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn), were analyzed. Two indices, the Heavy Metals Pollution Index (HPI) and the Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI), were calculated to assess the environmental impact of these metals. Geospatial distribution analysis was performed to identify contamination hotspots. The geospatial analysis involved mapping the spatial distribution of heavy metal concentrations (Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn) at various locations using ArcGIS 10.4 and Microsoft Excel.

Results: Pb levels in rainwater ranged from 0.11 to 2.42 mg/L, with locations like Atata and Okoloma Market, showing concentrations far exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) limit of 0.01 mg/L. River samples also had high Pb levels, peaking at 1.21 mg/L. Cu, Cd, and Zn concentrations were generally within acceptable limits, with Cu ranging from 0.08 to 0.43 mg/L, Cd consistently below 0.003 mg/L, and Zn between 0.018 and 2.011 mg/L.

Conclusion: The HPI identified Pb as the predominant contaminant, and the PERI classified the overall pollution risk as slight, with Pb posing the highest ecological threat. Geospatial analysis revealed Pb contamination was most severe in the northern-central and western parts, while Zn showed localized higher levels, suggesting specific pollution sources. The study highlights the urgency to address Pb contamination, posing significant risks to the area’s environmental and public health. Educating local communities on contamination risks, promoting water purification methods, and supporting ongoing research to monitor vulnerable areas will be essential for safeguarding public health and the environment.

 

Author(s)details:-

 

Nurudeen Onomhoale Ahmed
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

 

Nik Norsyahariati Nik Daud
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

 

Ipoola Ajani Okunlola
Chemical and Geological Sciences Department, Al-Hikmah University, 240281 Ilorin, Nigeria.

 

Please See the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/geserh/v2/3212