Asian Journal of Research in Biosciences

The study was designed to fill the gap in scientific knowledge of hazard exposure through ingestion and inhalation via ground and surface water and to address the vulnerabilities of children and adults to cancer and non-cancer health effects. The Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2001) was adopted to evaluated cancer and non-cancer risks, the physicochemical parameters of water were measured using APHA, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH): EPA 8015, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): EPA 8270, Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes (BTEX): EPA 8260) and heavy metals concentrations (ASTM) in water and soil samples. Results revealed severe environmental degradation. Groundwater quality was significantly compromised, with pH levels (6.4) and turbidity (210 – 250 NTU) failing to meet World Health Organization (WHO) and Nigeria Industrial Standards.  Levels of Chromium (0.25 mg/L), Arsenic (0.08 mg/L), Lead (0.06 mg/L), and Mercury (0.01 mg/L) far exceeded regulatory safety limits.   HI for PAHs were higher in children (2.18) than in adults (1.51) in BH₂. Benzene and Benzo(a)pyrene were identified as primary drivers of cancer risk, with Benzo(a)pyrene exhibiting a 71% probability of inducing cancer within the studied population.   The Cumulative Incremental Oral Lifetime Cancer Risk (ΣILCRo) and Cumulative Incremental Inhalation Lifetime Cancer Risk (ΣILCRi) show probability of 1: 10,000 and 1 in 100,000 in adult population to development cancer while the susceptibility of children (0-6 yrs.) were higher (1: 1,000) and (1:10,000) to exhibit cancer effect.  The Benzo (a) pyrene equivalent (BaP_eq) cancer risk assessment model of PAHs revealed greater potentials of individual and total (Σ₁₆PAHs) to elicit cancer in the studied population. This approach showed that 1:100 persons (10 ^-2) and 1:1000 (10^-3) persons can develop cancer in the study area. The findings confirm widespread contamination of the study area's water and soil. Given that the health risks significantly exceed US EPA safe limits, the study underscores an urgent need for effective, site-specific intervention policies to mitigate long-term public health consequences in the Niger Delta.