INVESTIGATING ENVIROMENTAL CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY UNDERGROUND FUEL STORAGE TANKS IN NANSADI AREA

Incidents involving spills and leakage from underground fuel storage tanks (UFSTs) have the potential to result in soil and groundwater contamination, thereby pose harmful effects to public health and the environment. This research focused on assessing the practicality of employing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), electrical conductivity (EC), and pH as indicators to investigate UFST-related contamination.
The geology and geological structure of the area was reviewed, in terms of faults, rock type and soil. Water assessment for VOCs and general water quality parameters were conducted for the quantification of BTEX concentrations, EC, and pH values and also soil assessment was also conducted for BTEX, EC and PH values as indicators in Nansadi Energem Filling station western side of Thyolo district in Malawi. The experimental approach followed in this study included chemical analysis of water samples from underground storage reservoirs and surface water from the river, and also analysis of soil samples. The results showed that both water resources and soil found within the study are not contaminated by hydrocarbons as all values measured are within the Malawi Bureau Standards recommended ranges.

Incidents involving spills and leakage from underground fuel storage tanks (UFSTs) have the potential to result in soil and groundwater contamination, thereby pose harmful effects to public health and the environment. Water assessment for VOCs and general water quality parameters were conducted for the quantification of BTEX concentrations, EC, and pH values and also soil assessment was also conducted for BTEX, EC and PH values as indicators in Nansadi Energem Filling station western side of Thyolo district in Malawi. The experimental approach followed in this study included chemical analysis of water samples from underground storage reservoirs and surface water from the river, and also analysis of soil samples. The results showed that both water resources and soil found within the study are not contaminated by hydrocarbons as all values measured are within the Malawi Bureau Standards recommended ranges.

Energem is one of the oil marketing companies which have many filling stations across the country. The research focused on one the Energem filling station which is located in the area of Nansadi in the Western part of Thyolo district in Malawi. Energem filling station is to the left side of the S150 Goliyati road and left side of railway line, and it is 129.7 meters away from the Luchedza river and Mpaya river. The Energem filling station is surrounded by some houses to west and to south. The geographical coordinates position for Nansadi Energem Filling Station is between 735822m Easting and 8241916m Nothing, where Energem filling station is located. The area is mainly drained by Lucheza river and Mpaya river which is in the western side of the Energem filling station.

Traditional authority: TA Chimaliro

District: Thyolo

Coordinates: -15.9729, 35.19975