Title: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water and River Prawn [Macrobrachium vollenhovenii (Herklots, 1857)] in Middle Reaches of Sombreiro River, Agba-Ndele, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Authors: ANWURI
Prince Azivudu
Bubu-Davies
Onome Augustina
Otene
Benjamin Bameyi
Okpaku
Ajubo Tamuno
Volume: 10
Issue: 2
Pages: 6-15
Publication Date: 2026/02/28
Abstract:
The distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (groups of chemicals produced from combustion of coal, oil, gasoline, wood, crude oil, tobacco, etc) can be threatening to aquatic organisms by destroying their habitats, bioaccumulation, etc. The study assessed the levels of PAH's in water and Prawn (Macrobrachium vollenhovenii) in middle reaches of Sombreiro River, Agba-Ndele, Rivers State, Nigeria once in a month for a period of 6 months. Four (4) sampling stations were established around the study location for this study and samples were taken to the laboratory for analysis. Data collected from the study were used to ascertain the descriptive (mean and bar charts, graphs, standard deviation) and inferential (Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistical values. Higher molecular and Carcinogenic PAHs like the Benzo(a)anthracene, Benzo(a)pyrene, Benzo(b)flouranthene, Benzo(k)flouranthene and Chrysene and Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene as well as lower molecular PAHs like the Lower molecular and non-arcinogenic PAH like the Acenaphtene, Acenaphtelyne, Anthracene, Fluorene and Naphthalene were observed in the water and Prawn (Macrobrachium vollenhovenii). Benzo(b)flouranthene, Acenaphtelyne and Anthracene were common among the open water and Prawn. All higher molecular PAH recorded from the study for water were higher above their threshold limit of USEPA and ATSDR. The result of the study indicates that the study area as well as the Prawn (Macrobrachium vollenhovenii) was polluted with PAH's hence the need for Government's intervention to control human impacts (like bunkering activities, etc) around the study area, remediation practices to reduce the level of pollution of PAH caused by human activities in the study area and the need to further study or research on the levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on the water and other biota for proper monitoring of the study area.