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Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences Vol.2(3) pp.065-070, June 2011.
Available online http://www.globalresearchjournals.org/journal/?a=journal&id=jabs
Copyright ©2011 Global Research Journals.
Full Length Research.
LEVELS OF TOTAL HYDROCARBON CONTENTS IN PLANTS ALONG SELECTED ROADSIDES IN PORT HARCOURT METROPOLIS, NIGERIA.
aT.J.K. IDERIAH, bE.A. EMERHI, bS.A. ABERE, bW. TRINYA
aInstitute of Pollution studies, Rivers State University of Science and Tech., Port Harcourt Rivers State, Nigeria bDepartment of Forestry and Environment, Rivers State University of Science and Tech., Port Harcourt Rivers State, Nigeria
Corresponding Author’s E-mail: itubonimi@yahoo.com, Phone: +2348033390885
Accepted 15th May 2011
| Abstract |
Hydrocarbon (HC) content in plants along selected roadsides and control sites in Port Harcourt were determined. Plant samples were collected at intervals of 0m and 50m from roads during the dry and rainy seasons. HC content in plants was determined using a 21D spectrophotometer. The mean HC contents in plants are (16,784.32mg/kg) for low density stations, (24,171.21mg/kg) for high density stations, (1,055.23mg/kg) for the rainy season, (19,695.49mg/kg) for dry season, (8,620.46mg/kg) for 50m and (12,130.26mg/kg) for 0m. Grass and orange leaves recorded the highest HC content with a mean value of 58,220.0mg/kg, while the least value (0.1424mg/kg) was recorded in Bitter leaf. The mean concentrations of HC in plants measured during the dry season were generally higher than the mean concentrations measured during the rainy season. The differences between the dry and rainy season values were significantly different at P≥0.05. HC measured at the high density areas were generally higher than those measured at low density areas. There was no significant difference in the mean concentrations of HC measured at 0m and those at 50m. The levels of HC in plants were influenced by traffic density, seasonal variations and distances from major roads, therefore farming activities and consumption of exposed foodstuffs are discouraged along busy roads in Port Harcourt.
Key words: Hydrocarbon, Plants, Traffic Density, Leaf samples, Jeatropha curcas, seasonal variation.