Distribution of Polychlorinated biphenyls in Environmental samples from an electrical power station in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Concentration levels of 12 PCB congeners (PCB-18, 28, 31, 44, 52, 101, 153, 118, 138, 149, 180 and 194) were determined in soil, dust, sediment and water samples collected at Ijora Olopa Power Station, Lagos, Nigeria. The calibration factors of target PCBs were estimated to test the linearity of the GC-ECD within a concentration of 0.025 ng/µL to 0.400 ng/µL. RSD of the calibration factors ranged from 4.6% to 12.3%, indicating a good response. Mean total PCBs in samples increased in the order water < soil < dust < sediment, with average values of 23.0 ng/mL, 27.3 ng/g, 272.6 ng/g, and 510.6 ng/g respectively. One way ANOVA revealed the mean concentrations of PCBs in the four sample types to be statistically different. The study provides a baseline report on the presence of PCBs in environmental samples from an electrical power facility in Lagos, Nigeria.

Keywords

• Dust
• polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
• power station
• soil
• sediment
• water