ID: 2247
Presenting Author: Chioma Nwakanma
Session: 582 - Implementing Indigenous Free, Prior, Informed Consent in Impact Assessments
Status: pending
It is a study to create indigenous awareness program on environmental impact assessment health awareness programs to discourage waste disposal into the river and promote safer water
This study presents a non-targeted assessment of the occurrence and distribution of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in the surface waters of the Imo River, Nigeria. Three sampling locations—Ekenobizi (Imo State), Owerrinta (Abia State), and Oyigbo (Rivers State)—were selected based on high population density and intense anthropogenic activity. Surface water samples were collected from upstream, midstream, and downstream points at each site using the grab sampling method and analyzed within three hours of collection. Non-targeted screening of CECs was conducted using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) following appropriate sample preparation. A total of eighty-five (85) unique CECs were identified across the sampling sites: 21 at Ekenobizi, 27 at Owerrinta, and 40 at Oyigbo. Some compounds were location-specific, while others were detected across multiple sites or sampling points. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed no significant difference in CEC concentrations among the locations (p > 0.05, p = 0.992), leading to acceptance of the null hypothesis. The detected compounds included siloxanes, fatty acids, amines, hydrocarbons, and other organic chemicals associated with pharmaceuticals, personal care products, agrochemicals, and industrial discharges. These substances pose varying degrees of ecological risk. The study recommends targeted analyses of identified CECs to establish permissible health limits and treatment standards, stricter monitoring and regulation of industrial effluents—particularly from manufacturing, petroleum, and personal care industry
Prof. Chioma Nwakanma is a distinguished environmentalist, academic leader and a trailblazing scientist who became a Professor of Environmental Biology and Toxicology at Michael Okpara University, Nig