Department of Biological Sciences, Covenant University, PMB 1023, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Benin, PMB 1154, Benin City, Nigeria.
Sci Rep. 2020 Oct 9;10(1):16896. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-72526-1.
Oil exploration's devastation on health and the environment may far outweigh its economic benefits. An oil spill occurred at Egbokodo River in Delta State, Nigeria, thereby polluting the land and water bodies. The study was therefore aimed at evaluating the impacts of iron, lead, cadmium, and chromium on the zooplankton community structure of Egbokodo River and the potential health risks. Zooplankton and surface water samples were collected to investigate the concentrations of trace metals and zooplankton abundance. The associated carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects of the metals in the water were analyzed. Trace metal concentrations in the surface water were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy (Philips model PU 9100) and zooplankton samples were collected using a hydrobios plankton net (mesh size 25 µm). Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and oil and grease (OG) were determined using Agilent 7890B gas chromatography coupled to flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and volumetric analysis respectively. The trend of the abundance of zooplanktons cross the river was 18 individuals (Station A) < 100 individuals (Station B) < 155 individuals (Station C). Cyclopoida proved to be the most resilient to the impacts of the oil spill. On a taxa basis, the order of abundance among Calanoida, Cyclopoida, Cladoceran, and Harpacticoida was Station C > Station B > Station A, except in Amphipoda where Station B > Station C > Station A was observed. Iron and lead posed significant carcinogenic risks that are liable to be inflicted by the ingestion of the water. The cumulative non-carcinogenic health risk in the male was the only significant (> 1) among the age groups. Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), oil and grease (OG), iron, and lead had notable impacts on the general abundance of zooplankton in the aquatic habitat. The dominance of the Cyclopoida in the river buttressed the impact of the oil spill which warrants a prompt remediation measure. The pollution had notable ecological impacts on the zooplankton community structure of the aquatic habitat. The adults in the nearby human populations are liable to elicit carcinogenic health challenges associated with lead and iron ingestion. The males are at risk of non-carcinogenic illnesses which are associated with the combined toxicity effects of all the metals. The study suggests that the pollution in Egbokodo River was validated by the dominance of the Cyclopoida in the aquatic habitat. The study confers bioindicator reputation on the Cyclopoida for future biomonitoring studies.
石油勘探对健康和环境的破坏可能远远超过其经济效益。尼日利亚三角洲州的埃格博科多河发生了石油泄漏，从而污染了土地和水体。因此，本研究旨在评估铁、铅、镉和铬对埃格博科多河浮游动物群落结构的影响以及潜在的健康风险。采集浮游动物和地表水样本，以调查痕量金属的浓度和浮游动物的丰度。分析了水中金属的致癌和非致癌作用。使用原子吸收光谱法（Philips 型号 PU 9100）测定地表水中痕量金属的浓度，并使用 Hydrobios 浮游动物网（网目尺寸 25µm）采集浮游动物样本。总石油烃（TPH）和油和油脂（OG）分别使用 Agilent 7890B 气相色谱仪与火焰电离检测器（GC-FID）和容量法测定。河流中浮游动物丰度的趋势为 18 个个体（站 A）<100 个个体（站 B）<155 个个体（站 C）。桡足类被证明对石油泄漏的影响最具弹性。在分类学基础上，在 Calanoida、Cyclopoida、Cladoceran 和 Harpacticoida 中，丰度的顺序为站 C>站 B>站 A，除了在节肢动物门中，观察到站 B>站 C>站 A。铁和铅构成了显著的致癌风险，有可能通过摄入水而受到影响。在各年龄段中，男性的累积非致癌健康风险是唯一显著的（>1）。总石油烃（TPH）、油和油脂（OG）、铁和铅对水生栖息地浮游动物的一般丰度有显著影响。河流中桡足类的优势地位支持了石油泄漏的影响，这需要立即采取补救措施。污染对水生栖息地浮游动物群落结构产生了显著的生态影响。附近人类群体中的成年人可能会因摄入铅和铁而引发与致癌有关的健康挑战。男性面临与所有金属的联合毒性效应有关的非致癌疾病的风险。本研究表明，埃格博科多河的污染得到了桡足类在水生栖息地中的优势地位的验证。该研究赋予桡足类生物指示剂的声誉，用于未来的生物监测研究。
