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<p>The Lemba petroleum sub-basin in the western Democratic Republic of the Congo was investigated to assess the composition of soils and riverbed sediments, the concentrations of contaminants and the environmental pollution hazards derived from the ongoing oil exploration and other anthropogenic activities. Soils and riverbed sediments were sampled and analyzed for physicochemical properties (moisture, organic matter, particle size), trace metals, metalloids, rare earth elements (by ICP-MS), and mercury (by AMA 254). Results revealed that soils and sediments exhibit strong spatial variability in texture, organic matter and metal content. High concentrations of chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) were detected, particularly in soils affected to agriculture and urban soils situated near oil exploration activities. Parameters used to assess environmental contamination indicated strong enhancement of naturally occurring metal concentrations. Ecological risk indices for metal ecotoxicity indicated low risk at Mvuangu but severe to extreme risk at Kanzi, Fundu-Nzobe, and Ngundji areas, primarily driven by arsenic (As) and chromium in soils. REE patterns showed lithogenic control with dominant light rare-earth elements (REEs), negative cerium (Ce) anomalies, weak europium (Eu) anomalies, and variable thulium (Tm) anomalies. These findings highlighted that there is already a significant contamination of soils in several areas mostly caused by spills from oil exploration but also by poor management of domestic and urban waste. Anticipating future industrial-scale exploitation of oil and other mineral resources of this region, the current assessment is an early warning emphasizing the need for implementing suitable monitoring and waste management plans prior and during mineral resources exploitation.</p>

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Geochemical assessment of metal and REE concentrations in a region with exploration of petroleum resources, Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月4日

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  • Bruno O. Deko,
  • Junior O. Omba,
  • Ruben K. Koy,
  • Fernando P. Carvalho,
  • John Poté,
  • Emmanuel K. Atibu

摘要

The Lemba petroleum sub-basin in the western Democratic Republic of the Congo was investigated to assess the composition of soils and riverbed sediments, the concentrations of contaminants and the environmental pollution hazards derived from the ongoing oil exploration and other anthropogenic activities. Soils and riverbed sediments were sampled and analyzed for physicochemical properties (moisture, organic matter, particle size), trace metals, metalloids, rare earth elements (by ICP-MS), and mercury (by AMA 254). Results revealed that soils and sediments exhibit strong spatial variability in texture, organic matter and metal content. High concentrations of chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) were detected, particularly in soils affected to agriculture and urban soils situated near oil exploration activities. Parameters used to assess environmental contamination indicated strong enhancement of naturally occurring metal concentrations. Ecological risk indices for metal ecotoxicity indicated low risk at Mvuangu but severe to extreme risk at Kanzi, Fundu-Nzobe, and Ngundji areas, primarily driven by arsenic (As) and chromium in soils. REE patterns showed lithogenic control with dominant light rare-earth elements (REEs), negative cerium (Ce) anomalies, weak europium (Eu) anomalies, and variable thulium (Tm) anomalies. These findings highlighted that there is already a significant contamination of soils in several areas mostly caused by spills from oil exploration but also by poor management of domestic and urban waste. Anticipating future industrial-scale exploitation of oil and other mineral resources of this region, the current assessment is an early warning emphasizing the need for implementing suitable monitoring and waste management plans prior and during mineral resources exploitation.