Concentrations, Sources, and Associated Risks of Polychlorinated Biphenyls Measured in Soil Profiles from Selected Telecom-masts in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Issue 3 (3rd April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Emoyan, Onoriode O.; Peretiemo-Clarke, Beatrice O.; Tesi, Godswill O.; Ohwo, Efe; Adjerese, Wilson
• Is Part Of: Soil & sediment contamination. Volume 31:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 293
• Page End: 315
• Publication Date: 2022-04-03
• Subjects: Soil pollution -- PCBs occurrence -- risks assessment -- telecom masts -- Niger Delta; Soil pollution -- Periodicals; Soil protection -- Periodicals; 628.5505
• DOI: 10.1080/15320383.2021.1937934
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1532-0383

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study determined the concentrations, origin, and associated ecological and human health risks of Ʃ28 PCBs in soil profiles from selected telecom-masts in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. A total of 18 soil samples were quantified for Ʃ28 PCBs with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after soxhlet extraction with n-hexane/dichloromethane and purified with florisil and silica gel column. The occurrence of the ∑28 PCBs varied widely, and ranged from 88.0 to 293 mg kg -1, with pollution load in the order of subsoil > topsoil, and SS 3 > SS 2 > SS 1 > SS 6 > SS 7 > SS 9 > SS 4 > SS 8 > SS 5. The compositional pattern of the ∑28 PCBs were in the order of deca-PCB > tetra-PCBs > di-PCBs > penta-PCBs > hexa-PCBs > hepta-PCBs > tri-PCBs > octa-PCBs > nona-PCBs. Also, the LC-PCBs are the dominant PCBs with a composition of 50 to 91.8%, while the HC-PCBs accounted for 34.8 to 78.8%. The levels of the ∑28 PCBs from the telecom-masts were significantly higher than the recommended standards for urban and agricultural soils. The ecological risk index, toxic equivalence, hazard index, and total cancer risk suggest ecological risk to soil-dwelling organisms and on-site human occupational risk to soils around the telecom-masts. The source identification depicts that PCBs originated from the use of Aroclor1254 mixtures, cable and wire insulators, lubricants, paints, transformer oils, pesticides, and power capacitors in the telecom masts. Standard guidelines for the operations of telecom-masts should be carried out to mitigate the potential ecological and on-site human occupational risks in soil profiles around the telecom-masts, and similar land use somewhere else around the world.