Assessment of Petroleum Product Adulteration in Filling Stations and Informal Retail Outlets in Gombe State

Petroleum product adulteration is a widespread commercial fraud in Nigerian filling stations and informal fuel retail outlets that results in vehicle engine damage, revenue losses, and safety hazards, yet it remains inadequately investigated in the North East geopolitical zone. This study assesses the degree of adulteration in petrol and kerosene samples obtained from ten filling stations and five open market retailers in Gombe State, North East Nigeria. Quality parameters measured include density, specific gravity, refractive index, flash point, distillation characteristics, and aromatic content by gas chromatography. Fluorescence spectroscopy is applied as a rapid screening tool for adulterant fingerprinting. Results are compared against Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation product quality specifications and Nigerian Industrial Standards. A purposive sampling strategy targets both regulated filling stations with Department of Petroleum Resources certification and unregulated retail points to enable compliance comparisons. Statistical analysis employs descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests. Results are expected to identify higher adulteration rates in informal retail outlets, with kerosene blended into petrol to reduce cost. Findings will inform the Department of Petroleum Resources about the scale of adulteration in North East markets and support consumer protection interventions. Keywords: petroleum product adulteration, petrol, kerosene, Gombe State, fuel quality