ASSESSMENT OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION USING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS): A CASE STUDY OF WARRI, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Industrial pollution is a major hazard of global dimension; it is most serious in developing countries as a result of the lack of proper regulatory enforcement and ineffective monitoring mechanisms, which has resulted in massive pollution of soil, water and air and degradation of planted vegetation. Warri which is the frontline site of petroleum products processing in Nigeria is the choice for this study. Data on Air pollution, Soil quality, Land-cover and Land-use were sourced from the Department of Petroleum Resources, Nigeria. Global Land Cover Facility, Google Earth and Field survey using Global Positioning System (GPS). Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing techniques were employed to assess industrial pollution from crude oil exploration and refinery operations in Warri metropolis of Delta State Nigeria, over a period of five years from 2007 to 2012. It was discovered that air pollution in the area was under control and within the set standards, having values varying from 0.01 to 20, noise pollution was at an average about 77dBA at locations closer to the refinery. Soil pollution on the other hand was intense as Zinc (Zn) was found in very high proportions of over 170ppm. Copper was found in small quantities of between 2-9ppm within the study area. Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead and Nickel were found in trace quantities of <0.002 ppm. The vegetation of the area had experience loss over the past twenty-five years, indicative of both urban growth and loss of fertile lands as a result of industrial pollution within the area. Remediation practices through stabilization can be used to mitigate the negative effect of zinc in the soil.