INVESTIGATING ENVIROMENTAL CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY UNDERGROUND FUEL STORAGE TANKS IN NANSADI AREA
Abstract
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.
Research summary
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.