Nov 14, 20 large oilfields are often coincidentally located in major river deltas and wetlands, and potentially damage the structure, function and ecosystem service values of wetlands during oil exploration. Effects of oil spillage on community development in the. Without much further ado i am going to tell you what an oil spillage is, causes, and effects of this catastrophe. Udo and fayemi 1974 reported that oil spillage accounted for a 50% reduction in the germination of zea mays l. An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the. Causes and effects of oil spill on our environment earth. Longterm or chronic impacts fishermen involved in the. Oil spillage has a major impact on the ecosystem into which it is released and many constitute ecocide.
When oil is spilled into an aquatic environment, it can harm organisms that live on, around, and under the water surface by both chemical toxicity and by coating and smothering wildlife. The objectives are to determine the quantity of oil spilled from pipelines, the area of coverage and to assess the effects of oil spillage on the people, soil and water. In this project, we created a website housing scientific research on the health effects of oil contamination. Larger animals in the food chain, including humans, can consume contaminated organisms as they feed on these fish. Oil spill can be of two different categories the land spillage and the aquatic spillage but they all have a negative impact on both the environment and the society in general. Implications for impacted first nations communities lessons learned and good practices may 25, 2017 dr. To find out the effects of oil spillage in the area. The effects of oil spills are worse when the site is near coastal communities. The shortterm effects of oil spills on marine species and communities are well known and predictable. Schematic diagram depicting the effects of a large oil spill on mangrove forests 2 figure 3. The effects of oil spillage in the niger delta myschooltrick. The major focus of this research was on the oil spills near the gulf of mexico.
Shortterm effects vary with the type of environment, amount of oil, effect of waves and weather, and type of oil. To see if the environmental remediation measures by the oil companies are adequate. Impacts and management of oil spill pollution along the. Effects of oil spillage on the properties of soil and. The effects of oil spills on wildlife can in turn adversely affect humans. Emerging spill risks include increased maritime activity in the arctic, deepwater exploration and development, and the rapid expansion of rail transport of crude oil. The impact of oil spills can also ruin the ecology and economy of a particular area with longterm effects for decades.
Sep 06, 2018 oil spills might take several months or even years to clean up. But the worst is that most and dangerous oil spillages happen in the sea. Effects of oil spills on marine and coastal wildlife1 edis. Shorelines are typically teeming with species that flourish on the waters surface, including birds. In this article, weve listed 10 horrible effects of nigeria oil spill, hopefully, youll find it not just interesting but educating. On a basic level, oil spill effects will damage waterways, marine life and plants and animals on the land.
This study examined the effects of oil spillage on the socioeconomic activities of the people and the environment in some communities in the niger delta. When an oil spill occurs, many elements of the environment may be affected. Indeed, it is one of the most significant environmental problems facing niger delta nigeria. Impacts and effects of oil spillage in niger delta nigeria. Immense tracts of the mangrove forests, which are especially susceptible to oil mainly because it is stored in the soil and rereleased annually during inundations, have been destroyed. These oilproducing communities in nigeria have faced the brunt of this environmental problem. Physical and chemical alteration of natural habitats, e. Health effects of oil spills and implications for public.
Oil spillage results in release of oil into the natural environment and is associated with activities such as extraction, refining, transportation and storage of crude oil. This has both shortterm and longterm effects on all parts of the marine food web, including longterm damage to breeding and. Oil stranded on the shoreline adjacent to a fishing village. Socioeconomic implications and environmental effects of oil. Health symptoms associated with living or working in an area affected by oil contamination are often unclear and debated. Angela eykelbosh environmental health and knowledge translation scientist in collaboration with. The effect of oil spills on land and water springerlink. Oil spills might take several months or even years to clean up. In spite of this, only after a few major oil spills crude oil or fuel oil no. Shorelines are typically teeming with species that flourish on the waters surface, including birds, sea otters, fish, and invertebrates. The effects of oil spillage on the germination of seeds have been reported by several researchers. Causes, consequences, prevention, and countermeasures. In late december 2006, more than 200 people were killed in the lagos region of nigeria in an oil line explosion.
Potential environmental impacts of oil spills in greenland nationalt. Oil pollution occurs when crude oil and its refined products are spilled into the environment by the activities of man. However, efforts for spill containment and recovery are considered to be only moderately. Oil spillage an oil spill according to osuji, 2004, is a release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. Sea plants are very important for the survival of marine animals.
However, concerns are often raised about possible longerterm sublethal population effects through, for example, low levels of residual oil affecting the ability of certain species to breed successfully. Oil spills frequently kill marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, seals, and sea otters. A simple random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 115 respondents for the study. Although there have been numerous oil spills in history, these two spills were chosen because they were the largest in volume and time. To know the extent to which the oil spillage affect the farmland in the area.
Oil coats the fur of sea otters and seals, reducing its insulating effect, and leading to fluctuations in body. Depending on the magnitude of the spill and its location, the effects can vary, ranging from minimal to serious ones. Effects of crude oil contamination on soil physical and. Many of the impacts may follow this scenario, but a closer look at research on the effects of oil spills have shown that many of the impacts are resolved quickly while other impacts tend to linger. Large oilfields are often coincidentally located in major river deltas and wetlands, and potentially damage the structure, function and ecosystem service values of wetlands during oil exploration. In laboratory tests of the toxicity of crude oils to winkles, ottway recorded mortalities ranging from 1% to 89%. Oil spills may involve health risks for people participating in the cleanup operations and coastal inhabitants, given the toxicological properties of the oil components. The effects of oil spillage on the properties of soil and environment around the marketing outlets of some petroleum marketing companies in calabar, cross river state, nigeria abstract soil and environmental protection and sustainability are important aspects of natural resource management that have been neglected for too long. Oil can clog blowholes of whales and dolphins, making it impossible for them to breathe properly and disrupting their ability to communicate. Oil spills affect marine life and local industry for years, even decades after they occur.
Onshore and offshore oil drilling are some of the worst ways oil can find its way to the sea. The cation exchange capacity cec of the top soil was drastically affected by the oil spills, decreasing from 37. Oil spill is a common fallout of oil exploitation and exploitation in the niger delta region, with an estimated total of over 7000 oil spill incidents reported over a 50year period. The findings suggest that oil production and spills negatively affect fish production, while farm labour has a positive effect on fish production. The effects of oil spillage in the niger delta edustore. Oil drilling is one of the causes of the oil spill. Animals with varied diets may have fairly limited contact with oil through the ingestion route, whereas lowmobility animals that need to breathe at the. Oil exploration and activities have been concentrated in this nigerdelta region which has over production oil wells and over 47,000 km of oil and gas flow lines ngobiri et al. The worst oil spill caused by offshore oil drilling happened in the mexican gulf. The severity of impact typically depends on the quantity and type of oil spilt, the ambient conditions and the sensitivity of the affected organisms and their habitats to the oil. The poor growth of the seedlings was attributed to suffocation of the plants due to exclusion of air. Oil spills have a number of effects on the environment and economy. Pdf the purpose of the study was to ascertain the effect of oil spillage on groundwater quality in the oil producing niger delta region of nigeria find, read and cite all the research you.
For instance, the contamination of local ecosystems can impact communities who rely on said ecosystems to survive, with crops and food sources becoming poisonous or disappearing altogether as a result of food chains being destabilised. Coralline algae and occasional encrusting or lowprofile corals domi. Oil exploitation can lead to contamination of environments, which can have effects on human health. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The term often refers to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters. Although oil causes immediate effects throughout the entire spill area, it is the external effects of oil on larger wildlife species that are often immediately apparent. Oil spills have many adverse effects on the environment. The main problems with oil spill are the negative effects of ingesting toxic metals. Today, there are about 606 oil fields in the niger delta, of which 360 are onshore and 246 offshore. These negative impact of this oil activities includes destruction of wild life, lost of fertile soil, pollution of air and water and damage to the. Effects of oil spills on marine and coastal wildlife. Nigerian regulations of the oil industry are weak and rarely enforced, allowing in essence, the industry to selfregulate.
Oil spillage affects both living and nonliving components of the environment which in turn affect man directly and indirectly suffice to. Effects of oil spills on marine and coastal wildlife1. Oil spillage and heavy metals toxicity risk in the niger. These droplets can also form a secondary slick or thin film on the surface of the water. When an oil spill happens there will be no entry of oxygen in the sea. Birds such as brown pelicans are likely to be exposed to oil as they float on the waters surface. To examine the effects of oil spillage on fishing in the area. Implications of oil spills for first nations communities health effects of oil spills. This paper assessed the effects of oil spillage on community development in the niger delta region of nigeria with a view to determine its adverse effects on poverty and hunger and its eradication in the region. Pdf effects of oil spillage on community development in. Currently, the world is suffering from numerous oil spillages. In the present study, the effects of crude oil contamination during oil exploration on soil physical and chemical properties were investigated in marshes of the momoge national nature reserve in. The range of biological impacts after an oil spill can encompass. Respiratory, endocrinologic, immunologic, and genotoxic effects observed 1 to 7 years after the spill.
Propagule and root deformities observed in january 1980 as response to the chronic effects of oil exposure after the 1978 howard star oil spill in tampa bay, florida 29 figure 2. Nigeria is now the largest oil producer in africa and the sixth largest in the world, averaging 2. The effects of oil pollution on aquatic ecosystems sciencing. Oil spillage contain significant elements like cr and ba detected in oil spill sites of the gulf war. Socioeconomic implications and environmental effects of. This cec of less than 20 mg kg1 is considered insufficient for soil fertility and crop growth greenland and hayes, 1978 and will. Oil spill effects ocean pollution marine life impact law. Spillage also results from accidents, lack of maintenance of engineering equipment and deliberate acts including oil bunkering and sabotage. Sep 17, 2012 oil spillage has a major impact on the ecosystem into which it is released and many constitute ecocide. This research aims at examining the effects of crude oil spillage on farmlands in gokana local government area. Effects of oil spills on marine and coastal wildlife 3 the route by which an animal is exposed to oil ingestion, absorption, or inhalation can also influence the rate and toxicity of the effects.
In the present study, the effects of crude oil contamination during oil exploration on soil physical and chemical properties were investigated in marshes of the momoge national. The consequences of oil spills are more severe in aquatic ecosystem. Currently, many oil rigs are being drilled in seas. Planning and response considerations but where reef coral species can survive. Thus, when oil spillage occurs, its effects are usually pronounced on the soil flora and fauna as well as the soil structure.
Skin contact with certain chromium compounds can cause skin ulcers, kidney and liver damage and even death. The human health implications of crude oil spills in the. The impacts of oil spillage and gas flare have been experienced in nigeria in the recent years and its occurrence is at very fast and alarming rate in the oil producing communities george, akpabio and udofia, 2010. Short and longterm health impacts of marine and terrestrial oil spills. Review on the effects of exposure to spilled oils on human health. Selected studies on the human health effects of oil spills. The effect of oilspillage on the soil of eleme in rivers. For instance, oil spills can have a major impact on the temporary animal and fish loss of habitat. This paper describes the effects of shipsource oil spills and resultant cleanup activities on. Oil coats fur of otters and seals, leaving them vulnerable to hypothermia. Offshore and coastal waters the loss of predators has a cascade effect on ecosystems, and offshore, the most vulnerable species are those found on the sea surface. Effects of oil spills on fish production in the niger delta plos. Separate itopf papers consider the specific effects of oil on fisheries and mariculture and on wider human activity. The exploitation of oil in the niger delta region has brought to bear oil spillage and its numerous effects.
1322 1197 1521 783 96 948 1506 49 1336 182 230 907 1507 354 479 869 1334 1130 1166 1190 391 1009 206 322 86 186 1425 569 1422 1565 1618 1413 596 460 1397 910 210 398 935 126 884 438