Impact of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emissions from biomass burning on soil and water quality in Niger Delta’s Agricultural Region

Olugbojo, Joseph Abiodun (author), Allen, Essono Emmanuel (author), Atanda, Abimbola Saburi (author), Otali, Chinedu Cyril (author), Oghuvwu, Edirin Blessing (author)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic compounds composed of fused aromatic rings, formed during the incomplete combustion of organic materials such as coal, oil, gas, wood, and biomass. This paper reviewed the impact of PAHs in the Niger-Delta Region in the Southern part of Nigeria and explored the activities that released them into the environment. The primary sources of PAHs in the Niger Delta are: Oil Extraction and Gas Flaring, Artisanal Crude Oil Refining, Agricultural Practices (Bush Burning and Biomass Burning), Vehicle Emissions and Industrial Activities, Waste Disposal and Landfills. The spatiotemporal distribution of PAHs in the Niger Delta reflects complex interactions between emission sources, seasonal weather patterns, and landscape characteristics, creating dynamic contamination gradients across the region. It is observed that PAHs in Nigeria waters, soil, and air are above the recommended permissible limits by different regulatory agencies in the developed countries such as European Union, United Kingdom, Netherland, Sweden, Canada, China and the World Health Organization (WHO), this call for concern. The PAHs pose enormous challenges in the region especially its negative effects on Agricultural practices and food sustainability as most communities dependent on subsistence agriculture, and lack access to soil and water remediation technologies or alternative livelihood options.

• Language: English
• Keywords: PAHs, Niger-delta, bush burning, environmental contamination, biomass, gas flaring, subsistence agriculture, food sustainability challenge
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 17 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 122, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180480
• UDC: 63
• ISSN on article: 1854-1941
• DOI: 10.14720/aas.2026.122.1.23010
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271113987
• Publication date in RUL: 10.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Acta agriculturae Slovenica
• Publisher: Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za agronomijo in Oddelek za zootehniko, Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za agronomijo in Oddelek za zootehniko, Univerza v Ljubljani, Biotehniška fakulteta, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 1854-1941
• COBISS.SI-ID: 219581184

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Vpliv emisij policikličnih aromatskih ogljikovodikov iz sežiganja biomase na kakovost tal in vode v kmetijski regiji delte Nigra
• Keywords: delta Nigra, požiganje grmovja, onesnaženje okola, biomasa, sežiganje plina, samooskrbno kmetijstvo, izziv trajnosti hrane