Abstract

Assessment of Physicochemistry of crude Petroleum polluted Nweol community farm lands in Rivers State was evaluated, using standard analytical procedures. Mean values of physicochemical parameters in petroleum polluted soils and unpolluted/controls were: Polluted Baraol-Chara 1; Moisture contents 7.32%, pH 4.5, Conductivity 135.42µS/cm, Nitrate 8.52Mg/kg, Phosphorus 24.13mg/kg, Potassium 29.82mg/kg. Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon 293.58mg/kg, and heavy metals; Cadmium 6.33mg/kg, Chromium 269.60mg/kg, Lead 119.52mg/kg. Polluted Baraol-Chara 2; Moisture contents 7.24%, pH 4.5, Conductivity 201.64µS/cm, Nitrate 8.87mg/kg, Phosphorus 31.28 mg/kg, Potassium 50.28mg/kg, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon 289.33mg/kg, and heavy metals; Cadmium 8.36mg/kg, Chromium 287.64mg/kg, Lead  114.11mg/kg. Polluted Baraol-Gor; Moisture contents 6.92%, pH 5.0, Conductivity 140.51µS/cm, Nitrate 8.91mg/kg, Phosphorus 26.51mg/kg, Potassium 32.80mg/kg, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon 212.92mg/kg, and heavy metals were; Cadmium 8.04mg/kg, Chromium 313.93mg/kg, Lead 90.15mg/kg. In the unpolluted control from Gava area; Moisture contents 3.08%, pH 6.0, Conductivity 139.18µS/cm, Nitrate 14.95mg/kg, Phosphorus 51.55mg/kg, Potassium 31.07mg/kg, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon 111.56mg/kg, and heavy metals; Cadmium 2.29mg/kg, Chromium 110.54mg/kg, Lead 85.35mg/kg. The studies revealed mean values for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon at all sample sites, and were from the ranges of 119.26 to 296.27mg/kg which are beyond Environmental Protection Agency safe limits, making it unsuitable for farming and Agriculture. This is also evident that Nweol community affected farms soils are hazardous, and of health risk to anyone that consumes crops grown in these farms, including animals within the food chains. Comprehensive and total clean-up is therefore recommended, for safety of Nweol people, and others who depend on the affected farms