Environmental and socioeconomic impacts of pipeline transport interdiction in Niger Delta, Nigeria.

Over the years, pipelines have been the most economic medium for transporting crude oil to production and distribution facilities in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. However, damages to the pipelines in this area by interdiction have hampered the continuous flow of crude oil to the facilities. Consequently, the revenue of the government dwindles, and the environment is severely degraded. This study assesses the economic and environmental impacts of pipeline interdiction in the Niger Delta region. Data from National oil spills detection and response agency, Nigeria is used to map spatial distribution of oil spills using Kernel Density Estimation with Geographic Information System. Literature was assessed to synthesize the historical, socioeconomic, and environmental impacts of oil spills and pipeline interdiction. Soil samples were collected from study area to determine the types of hydrocarbon pollutants and their concentrations in comparison with uncontaminated sites in the area. Results show that the range of concentrations of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) for the impacted soil (IMP) was 17.27-58.36 mg/kg; remediated soil (RS) was 11.73-50.78 mg/kg which were higher than the concentrations of 0.68 mg/kg in the control samples (CS). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) concentrations were in the range of 0.43-77.54 mg/kg for IMP, 0.42-10.65 mg/kg for RS, against CS value of 0.49 mg/kg while BTEX ranged between 0.02 - 0.38 mg/kg for IMP, 0.01-2.7 for RS against CS value of 0.01. The values of the PAH were higher than the limits of the Department of Petroleum Resources, Nigeria. This study also revealed that pipeline interdiction has affected the livelihood of the inhabitants of the study area and the revenue of the Nigerian government. The major hotspots for oil spills in the Niger Delta region are Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta states.

Histopathologic investigations of acute and subchronic toxicities of some organotin compounds in chickens.

The acute and subchronic oral toxicities of 4 organotin derivatives were investigated in chickens. The LD50 values oscillated between 200 and 400 mg/kg bw and revealed a moderate or weak toxicity. Subchronic dosing with 2 doses from each compound at 2 and 10 mg/kg bw induced dose-dependent lesions seen at necropsy and histologic examinations. Involution of the thymus and bursa Fabricius, fatty degeneration of the liver, and nephrotic syndromes were the most evident effects. The butyltin derivatives induced more drastic lesions than did the phenyltins.

Malignant melanomas in farm animals.

Malignant melanomas in 5 horses, 1 calf, 1 cow and 2 pigs were described. The disease, in white or gray horses, was tegumentally located and generalized in the organs of the abdominal cavity. Microscopically, dendritic and fusiform pigment cells and multinucleated cells were identified. In the hypophysis there microcysts and in one case a hypophyseal adenoma were encountered. Electronmicroscopically, differentiated melanophores and melanophages were also found. The mature melanosomes were intensely black and the elementary granules concentrically and lamellarly arranged. In cattle, the generalized visceral malignant melanomas were described in one calf and one cow, the latter presenting cerebral localizations, too. In swine, the malignant melanomas were observed in a Duroc with visceral generalization and in a Bazna with cutaneous localization.

Morphopathological findings in dog's acute toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis was clinically diagnosed in two dogs of 4 and respectively 18 months. A seven-day treatment remained inefficient and the animals died. Autopsy revealed a global inflammation of the lung, with necrotic lesions of bronchial lymph nodes and acute hyperplastic reaction of the spleen. Histologically, there were identified a diffuse, serofibrinous inflammation of the lung with necrotic foci, fibrinoleucocytic and necrotic exudate of bronchial and portal lymph nodes, small necrotic or fibrinonecrotic foci of the liver and spleen, lymphoglial foci and edema at the base of the cerebellum. In myocardium, as well as in the above mentioned organs, toxoplamas are free or accumulated in cysts. Inoculation of infected lung material into mice and newborn dogs gave positive results.