Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment and fish samples of river Owan, and agricultural soil around the same river in Edo State, Nigeria

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) belong to the group of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which are major environmental pollutants associated with the environment. In this study (preliminary), the concentrations of eighteen (18) PAHs in soil, sediment and fish sample (Clarias anguillaris) of Owan River and agricultural soil samples around the river in Edo State were studied using standard analytical methods. Gas chromatograph equipped with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) was used for the determination of PAHs. The study revealed the presence of the 18 determined PAHs in the soil, sediment and fish (Clarias anguillaris) samples in varying concentrations. The concentrations of PAHs in the soil samples ranged between 0.0000-0.0506 (µg/kg) with total concentrations of ∑0.2390 (µg/kg) and ∑0.2700 (µg/kg) for soil samples from sampling location 1 and 2. The concentrations of the PAHs components in the sediments samples ranged between 0.002092-0.05866 (µg/kg) with total concentration of ∑0.150592 µg/kg and ∑0.0312183 µg/kg for sediment sample from sampling location 1 and 2 respectively. The concentration of PAHs components in the fish sample ranged between 0.0000-0.0746 (µg/kg) with total concentration of ∑0.300 (µg/kg). The concentrations of PAHs were higher in the soil samples than in the sediment samples. Concentrations of the PAHs residues detected in the fish samples were higher than that in the soil and sediment samples. In furtherance of this study, the number of sampling stations shall be increase to cover other communities while data generated will be subjected to more ecological risk assessments.