International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 8, Issue 4, April 2018 410 ISSN 2250-3153 http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.8.4.2018.p7658 www.ijsrp.org ASSESSMENT OF THE LEVELS OF PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS (POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS) IN EFFLUENTS FROM PETROLEUM PRODUCTS TANK FARM IN CALABAR JETTY, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA Neji, P.A., * Anozie, R. C. ** and Vincent, T.O. ** * Department of Chemical Science, Cross River University of Technology, Calabar, Nigeria ** Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria DOI: 10.29322/IJSRP.8.4.2018.p7658 http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.8.4.2018.p7658 ABSTRACT: This study has its objectives of assessing the levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in five soil samples collected from the effluent channel of petroleum product tank farm in Calabar Jetty, Cross River State. The five soil samples were subjected to analytical procedure by extracting with n- hexane/acetone mixture volume (1:1). The extracts were distilled at 56 o C to remove acetone and the residue from each extract was mixed with 20ml of distilled water and separated with a separatory funnel. The hexane phase was collected from each sample and the clean-up process was carried out using florisil column prepared according to slurry packing technique (1cm x 25cm glass column containing 5.0g florisil, 60- 100mesh, conditioning for 4hrs at 250 o C) then deactivated with 5% water by weight, with a layer of anhydrous sodium sulphate on top to remove interferences before they were analyzed and quantified using GC-ECD/MS instrumentation. The results revealed presence of PCBs in all the samples except the control sample. The chromatograms identified some PCB congener numbers present in the samples and they are: PCB 18, PCB 33, PCB 44, PCB 48, PCB 122, PCB 145, PCB 150, and PCB 167. The results indicated the various concentrations of PCBs present and levels of PCBs were at toxic limits which could be detrimental to the environment and human health. Thus suggestions were made on the best way to dispose these effluents. Keywords - Polychlorinated biphenyl, Congener, Effluents, Tank farm, Jetty. 1.0 INTRODUCTION Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are compounds containing some chlorine atoms attached at different positions of the biphenyls molecule. Biphenyls molecule is a molecule made of two benzene compounds joined together by carbon to carbon single bond. These Polychlorinated biphenyls do not occur in nature, they are introduced into the environment by anthropogenic activities. PCBs have been sold out to different countries with many trade names such as: Aroclor, Chlorextol,Clophen,Phenoclor, Fenclor, Kanechlor, Pyranol, Sovol etc. [1] PCBs are introduced into the environment through leakages from most electrical equipment containing capacitors, hydraulic oil, petroleum product effluents, transformers and liquid heat exchangers or coolants. The PCBs when given off goes into the air, water, sediment and soil. It was eventually banned in 1979 by United States Stockholm convention and was classified among the persistent organic pollutants in 2001. [2] Some electrical equipment at elevated temperature emits PCBs into the atmosphere which goes into the food chain thereby affecting the fishes and other aquatic organisms in the river. These fishes when consumed by man causes ailments such as birth defects. [3] They affect the hormone system in man especially the sperm count and causes cancer in animals. [4] In the phase of all these, it is pertinent that these effluents from the petroleum tank farm in Calabar Jetty identified to be toxic should be properly treated using the most effective method of destruction to reduced its toxicity level before been discharged to the environment. 2.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 Sample Collection The soil samples were collected from the effluent channel of the company. The sampling was done using shovel, auger, and spade. The soil samples were collected at different depth ranging from (0.05 – 0.20m) depth. Five (5) samples were collected from company Hamdza( H ). The samples were poured into polythene sack bag and taken to the laboratory where pH, conductivity and temperature were taken before storage.