Spatial Distribution of Black Soot and Its Health Effects in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Nigeria
Source: By:Author(s)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v4i1.4340
Abstract:This research presents a novel approach to assessing the health implications of black soot using a MiniVol air sampler. The MiniVol air sampler was used to collect PM from the ambient air at six monitoring sites in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Sampling was conducted every day for seven days, for 24 hours. PM2.5 concentrations at Uniport Junction, GRA Junction, Slaughter Roundabout, Abuloma Jetty, Rumuomasi Roundabout, and New Road Borokiri were 38.6 g/m3, 28.3 g/m3, 93.7 g/m3, 72.9 g/m3, 30.6 g/m3, and 31.3 g/m3, respectively. PM10 concentrations ranged from 71.2 g/m3 to 60.6 g/m3, with 103.3 g/m3, 85.5 g/m3, 40.1 g/m3, and 35.2 g/m3 being the highest. The level of PM2.5 and PM10 pollution in the ambient air was high across the six sampling sites, with mean PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations exceeding the WHO (2011) guideline. The flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) technique was used. The presence of heavy metals, such as mean metal concentrations of lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and nickel, ranged from 0.009 g/m3 -0.532 g/m3, 0.002 g/m3 - 0.544 g/m3, 0.002 g/m3 -0.338 g/m3, 0.001 g/m3, and 0.001 g/m3 -0.432 g/m3, across the six sampling sites. The GC-MS was used to determine the presence of PAHs in particulate matter. Correlation results revealed a strong positive correlation between PM2.5 and PM10. The findings also revealed a positive relationship between the metals as well as between the metals and PAHs, resulting in asthma, lung cancer, breathing difficulties, and miscarriages among pregnant women, which have affected the health implications of the people living in the environment.
References:[1] WHO, 2010. Health and Environment in Europe: Progress Assessment. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe. [2] Alberini, A., Krupnick, A.,1998. Air quality and episodes of acute respiratory illness in Taiwan cities: Evidence from survey data. Journal of Urban Economics. 44, 68-92. [3] Ede, P.N., Edokpa, D.O., 2017. Satellite determination of particulate load over Port Harcourt during black soot incidents. Journal of Atmospheric Pollution. 5(2), 55-61. Available from: https://pubs.sciepub.com/jap/5/2/3/index.html [4] Durdina, L., Lobo, P., Trueblood, M.B., et al., 2016. Response of real-time black carbon mass instruments to mini-CAST soot. Aerosol Science and Technology. 50(9), 906-918. [5] Report of Nigeria's National Population Commission on the 2006 Census [Internet]. Population and Development Review. 33(1), 206-210. Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25434601 [6] Gobo, A.E., Richard, G., Ubong, I.U., 2010 Health impact of gas flares on Igwuruta/Umuechem communities in Rivers State. Journal of Applied Sciences & Environmental. 13, 27-33. [7] Swemgba, H., Ahiarakwem Cosmas, A., Nwankwor Godwin, I., et al., 2019. Air quality index assessment in some parts of Porthacourt Metropolis, Nigeria. International Journal of Environment and Pollution Research. 7(4), 1-20. [8] Weli, E.V., 2014. Atmospheric concentration of particulate pollutants and its implications for respiratory health hazard management in Port Harcourt metropolis, Nigeria. Civil Environmental Research. 9, 11-17. [9] Nwachukwu, A.N., Chukwuocha, E.O., Igbudu, O., 2012. A survey on the effects of air pollution on diseases of the people of Rivers State, Nigeria. African Journal of Environmental Science & Technology. 6, 371-379. [10] Niranjan, R., Thakur, A.K., 2017. The toxicological mechanisms of environmental soot (black carbon) and carbon black: Focus on oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways. Frontiers in Immunology. 8, 763. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2017.00763 [11] WHO, 2005. Air Quality Guidelines for Particulate, Matter, Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide: Global Update 2005. [12] National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (Establishment), 2007 [Internet]. Available from: https://www.placng.org/lawsofnigeria/laws/nesrea.pdf
