Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Waste Management in Nigeria: A Review

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly persistent synthetic contaminants increasingly classified as a global environmental and public health concern. This review examines PFAS within the specific context of Nigeria－ Africa’s most populous nation, generating an estimated 32 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, of which only 20-30% is formally managed, arguing that prevailing waste practices function as structural amplifiers of environmental release and human exposure. Drawing on empirical evidence from Nigerian environmental and biotic matrices, including surface waters and river sediments, sewage sludge from industrial treatment facilities, electronic waste contaminated soils, fish tissues from rivers, drinking water sources, and early-life matrices, the paper examines   current occurrence data and critically evaluates substantial analytical, regulatory, and surveillance gaps. Nigeria’s dependence on open dumping, informal recycling, unlined landfills, wastewater discharge, and uncontrolled burning creates interconnected PFAS exposure pathways through groundwater ingestion, aquatic food web bioaccumulation, occupational dermal and inhalation contact, and household dust exposure, with informal e-waste workers, women and children identified as vulnerable populations. A comparative assessment reveals that Nigeria lacks established analytical protocols, infrastructure, enforceable drinking water limits, and population-level biomonitoring, in contrast to high-income countries with regulatory frameworks. Remediation feasibility is evaluated under Nigeria’s infrastructural constraints: while granulated activated carbon and lined landfill represent feasible management pathways, reverse osmosis and high-temperature incineration face significant energy and operational cost.  The review concludes by proposing a phased, context-responsive national roadmap with prioritised actions spanning laboratory strengthening, hotspot surveillance and interim drinking water guideline values.