Physico-Chemical Status of Surface Water and Sediments of Bonny River after Fusokiri-6 Manifold Spill in the Niger Delta

Surface waterand sediments are important natural resources and their physical, chemical and biological characteristics vary over time as a result of contaminable alterations of their dynamic equilibrium, thus the need for systematic monitoring and evaluation, even long after an oil spill incident. Accordingly, samples were collected at different points of the Creeks affected by the Fusokiri manifold oil spill at Bonny in Niger Delta, and subjected to physicochemical evaluation. The acidic pH values of sediments (4.19 for the NLNG-SPDC sediment samples, 4.43 for the Fibiri creek and 4.39 for the Iwoama creek sediments) are not within the WHO (World health organization) and NURPC (Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission) benchmark of 6,4-8.5. The dissolved oxygen (DO) and other physicochemical properties also exceeded the baseline limits. The exceeded limits of WHO and NURPC for concentrations of heavy metals, especially the higher-than-normal concentration of Pb, pose major public health risks, such as lead poisoning. Therefore, there is need for periodic monitoring to determine the extent remediation action and restoration of water body, several months after the Fusokiri-6 oil spill, especially in view of the socio-economic and ecological significance of the Bonny River, Nigeria.