Health impact assessment of mangrove vegetation in an oil spilled site at the Bodo West field in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

post-impact health assessment of the mangrove vegetation of Bodo West Field in Rivers State of Nigeria where three oil spillages occurred was carried out to determine any major changes from the baseline profile of the area 10 yrs after spillage. The accidents resulted in the discharge of a total of 1860 barrels of crude oil, which cut fire as it spilled destroying the mangrove vegetation. Diseased plant samples were collected from infected plants at 50m intervals to a distance of 300m from the point of spillage along four transects in the East, West, North and South directions. Results of laboratory diagnosis showed that most of the plants especially plants along the South and East transects were heavily infected with necrotic leafspots caused mainly by Pesalotia and Phomopsis spp. Rhizophora mangle, Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia africana were the most heavily infected plants. Other genera of fungal pathogens isolated were Alternaria, Aspergillus, Botrytis, Chaetonium, Colletotrichum, Dreschlera, Fusarium, Macrophomina, Penicillium, Phoma and Trichoderma. No plant pathogenic bacteria or viruses were isolated. Oil pollution predisposed the plant to fungal disease attack and also impacted the soil and vegetation.


Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management Vol. 9(1) 2005: 69-73