Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Sediments and  Freshwater Samples of Cross River Channel (Etono Central Beach), Biase, Nigeria

Michael Akomaye Akpe; David Ibitham Edodi; Peter Ereh Oko; Anthony Odobi Agorye; Mkpangita Koko Enemkpang; Collins Irechukwu Nwobodo

doi:10.14233/ajchem.2025.34388

Issue

Vol. 37 No. 11 (2025): Vol 37 Issue 11, 2025

Issue Published : 27 October 2025

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Sediments and Freshwater Samples of Cross River Channel (Etono Central Beach), Biase, Nigeria

https://doi.org/10.14233/ajchem.2025.34388

Michael Akomaye Akpe

Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Calabar, Calabar 540281, Nigeria

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7258-7427

David Ibitham Edodi

Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Calabar, Calabar 540281, Nigeria

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4101-4132

Peter Ereh Oko

Department of Geography and Environmental Resources Management, University of Calabar, Calabar 540281, Nigeria

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9139-9181

Anthony Odobi Agorye

Department of Architecture, University of Calabar, Calabar 540281, Nigeria

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7147-7852

Mkpangita Koko Enemkpang

Department of Architecture, University of Calabar, Calabar 540281, Nigeria

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2980-5507

Collins Irechukwu Nwobodo

Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Calabar, Calabar 540281, Nigeria

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0418-719X

Corresponding Author(s) : Michael Akomaye Akpe

akomayeakpe2015@gmail.com

Asian Journal of Chemistry, Vol. 37 No. 11 (2025): Vol 37 Issue 11, 2025
Article Published : 27 October 2025

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments and freshwater samples of Cross River Central Channel (Etono Central Beach) in Biase, Nigeria and the associated risk. Methodologically, five samples each of sediment and water were collected at five different locations of the Etono Central Beach in dry and wet season and analyzed for PAHs and physico-chemical parameters as applicable using laboratory apparatus and GC-FID. The results of the findings revealed that the mean values of PAHs in water ranged from (0.2017-2.8409) mg/L and (0.0172-5.8899) mg/L for dry and wet season, respectively. In sediments, they ranged from (0.1019-4.6825) mg/L and (0.0018-0.1435) mg/L for dry and wet season, respectively. For cancer risk assessment (CRA) associated with the PAHs, the values ranged from (9.3210 × 10^-3 – 2.4154 × 10^-1), (7.7601 × 10^-3 – 4.5458 × 10^-1) and (8.8801 × 10^-3 – 2.3027 × 10^-1) for 10, 25 and 70 years, respectively in dry season. In wet season, (1.1011 × 10^-3 – 1.4365), (2.5280 × 10^-3 – 1.1971) and (1.1011 × 10^-3 – 1.3694) for 10, 25 and 70 years, respectively. The implication is that the sediments contained more PAHs than water and were greater in the dry season than the wet season. The cancer risk assessment (CRA) revealed that exposure to certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) posed a cancer risk to individuals within the 70-year age bracket that exceeded acceptable limits. This risk was higher during the dry season compared to the wet season, with benzo[k]fluoranthene and chrysene identified as the most concerning compounds.

Keywords

Cancer risk assessment Sediment contamination Cross River Etono Central Beach Environmental toxicology

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Akpe, M. A.; Edodi, D. I.; Oko, P. E.; Agorye, A. O.; Enemkpang, M. K.; Nwobodo, C. I. Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Sediments and Freshwater Samples of Cross River Channel (Etono Central Beach), Biase, Nigeria. ajc 2025, 37, 2809-2818.

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M. Zaynab, M. Fatima, Y. Sharif, K. Sughra, M. Sajid, K. A. Khan, A. H. Sneharani, and S. Li, J. King Saud Univ. Sci., 33, 101511 (2021); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2021.101511

P.J. Berríos‑Rolón, M.C. Cotto and F. Márquez, Toxics, 13, 321 (2025); https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13040321

K Srogi, Environ. Chem. Lett., 5, 169 (2007); https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-007-0095-0

Z. Zelinkova and T. Wenzl, Polycycl. Aromat. Compd., 35, 248 (2015); https://doi.org/10.1080/10406638.2014.918550

Y. Dai, X. Huo, Z. Cheng, M. M. Faas and X. Xu, Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf., 262, 115314 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115314

J.M. Neff, S.A. Stout and D.G. Gunster, Integr. Environ. Assess. Manag., 1, 22 (2005); https://doi.org/10.1897/IEAM_2004a-016.1

A. Staroń, M. Kijania-Kontak, M. Dziadas and M. Banach, Materials, 16, 5847 (2023); https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16175847

M. Kostopoulou, G. Lofrano, S. Meri and A. Nikolaou, Glob. NEST J., 11, 391 (2009).

K. Ravindra, R. Sokhi, and R. Van Grieken, Atmos. Environ., 42, 2895 (2008); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.12.010

I. Tongo, L. Ezemonye and K. Akpeh, Environ. Monit. Assess., 189, 247 (2017); https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-5931-5

R. Xiao, J. Bai, J. Wang, Q. Lu, Q. Zhao, B. Cui and X. Liu, Chemosphere, 110, 8 (2014); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.03.001

A. Abdel-Shafy and S. Mansour, Egypt. J. Petroleum, 25, 107 (2016); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpe.2015.03.011

A.B. Patel, S. Shaikh, K.R. Jain, C. Desai and D. Madamwar, Front. Microbiol., 11, 562813 (2020); https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.562813

J.C.-E. Boström, P. Gerde, A. Hanberg, B. Jernström, C. Johansson, T. Kyrklund, A. Rannug, M. Törnqvist, K. Victorin and R. Westerholm, Environ. Health Perspect., 110(Suppl 3), 451 (2002); https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.110-1241197

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M.Y. El-Kady, A.M. El-Sorogy and A.H. Alshamrani, Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol., 93, 103807 (2022); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2022.103807

C. Emrah, Turk. J. Chem., 9, 1976 (2012).

G.R.E.E. Ana, M.K.C. Sridhar and G.O. Emerole, Health Res., 11, 77 (2011).

A. Halfadji, M. Naous, F. Bettiche, and A. Touabet, J. Health Pollut., 11, 210914 (2021); https://doi.org/10.5696/2156-9614-11.31.210914

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V.B. Bayowa, M.Sc. Thesis, Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydro-carbons (PAHs) in Marshy Soils and Sediments within Warri and its Environs, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa (2014).

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Some Non-heterocyclic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Some Related Exposures, IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, vol. 92, pp. 1–853 (2010).

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Author biographies is not available.