article · Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances
Industrialisation and fossil fuel exploration drive extensive contamination of soil and water with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, particularly in resource-dependent economies. A comparative evaluation of published evidence from Ghana and Nigeria demonstrates that while research on these pollutants is sparse in Ghana, the extensive research conducted in Nigeria has failed to translate into effective environmental control or management systems. Elevated exposure to these contaminants poses grave public health risks, including cancer, immune system suppression, and higher incidence of non-communicable diseases. Furthermore, the presence of these hydrocarbons in water sources stimulates microbial growth, increasing the prevalence of communicable diseases and worsening the overall burden of disease. To resolve these challenges, a conceptual framework based on global principles has been formulated to improve contamination prevention and environmental remediation across both nations and comparable regions.
Contamination of soil and water by toxic hydrocarbons directly threatens clean resource availability and community health in developing economies. By linking industrial pollutants to heightened risks of both communicable and chronic diseases, this work highlights critical policy failures and provides a structured model to help environmental regulators and public health bodies design better prevention and cleanup strategies.
This work represents early-stage conceptual research providing a strategic framework rather than a marketable product. Environmental protection agencies, municipal authorities, and environmental consulting firms could potentially apply the framework to develop remediation policies and monitoring programmes. However, the abstract does not indicate a direct commercial application pathway or specific technology readiness level.
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As industrialization increases to meet global need for social and economic development, clean soil and water are increasingly becoming scarce resources due to contaminations caused by industrial activities. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous in the environment, however, they are predominant in natural resource-dependent economies where burning of fossil fuels and exploration activities drive their release into environmental media daily. This study reviewed a comparative analysis of PAH contamination in soil and water media in Ghana and Nigeria using published literature. Although evidence indicates limited PAH studies in Ghana, the abundance of PAH research in Nigeria does not translate to efficient and effective control and management measures. These measures are crucial for addressing the exposure of environmental and public health receptors to high concentrations of PAHs and mitigating their harmful effects, such as cancer and suppression of the immune system. In addition, considering that exposure to elevated PAH concentrations in water and soil has been linked to increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and that the presence of PAHs in water can promote the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms, which can increase the risk of communicable diseases (CDs), PAH contamination therefore exacerbates the disease burden and thus significantly slows the epidemiologic transition in both countries. Given the contextual similarities, this article articulates a conceptual framework based on global principles to enhance the prevention and remediation of PAH contamination in both countries. The framework would serve as an exemplar for regions with similar contexts and challenges.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.hazadv.2023.100336
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