Abstract:
This study was carried out to determine the Environmental effects of oil spillage on Bomu
community of Rivers State, Nigeria. In other to achieve this, the following methods were
adopted: oral interview, physical observation and field sampling of soil and water. Heavy
metals in the soil and water samples were determined using Atomic Adsorption Spectrometer
(AAS). The findings showed that environmental characteristic (social distortion, soil and
water) has significant effect on the inhabitant of Bomu community and that has been severely
distorted, the chemical analysis result of soil and water samples shows that they contained
high level of heavy metals when compared with Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
and World Health Organization (WHO). The soil sample showed high level depletion of vital
nutrients that are necessary for plant growth, for instance, Iron content is 4.68mg/kg and
Phosphorus 4.48mg/kg. These values are below the FAO standard also water quality
parameter such as pH is 5.1 and copper 0.3mg/l do not conform to WHO standards. The
concentration of lead in water samples A, B, C, D and E are 0.17, 0.15, 0.24, 0.16 and 0.21
respectively. These concentrations are above the WHO standard of 0.10mg/l most especially
in A and E were the impact of oil spillage is frequent, this might be responsible for the
recurrent report of toxic biochemical effect in the water of the study area. It is recommended
that best practices are adhered to in oil exploration, transportation and storage as this would
minimise the occurrence of oil spillage in future. Meanwhile, the cleaning up of the area
should be carried out as soon as possible and some compensation should be paid to the people
who have suffered for a long time from the damaging spill. Since Ghana is planning to
commence Oil exploitation, Ghanaian Government should borrow a leaf from the Nigerian
experience.
