TITLE:
Regional Air Quality of the Nigeria’s Niger Delta
AUTHORS:
Precious N. Ede, David O. Edokpa
KEYWORDS:
Niger Delta, Regional Air Quality, Emissions from Petroleum
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Air Pollution,
Vol.4 No.1,
March
2,
2015
ABSTRACT:
There is no
systematic attempt to evaluate the air quality of any settlement in the Niger Delta
region over a long period. Records of air quality data for this study were
generated through secondary sources from impact assessment of facilities aimed
at implementing air quality regulations on
the environment. Suspended particulate matter in the region’s atmosphere ranged
from 40 mg/m3 in Brass to 98 mg/m3 in Port Harcourt. Carbon monoxide
concentrations were highest in Mbiama (191 mg/m3).
Nitrogen dioxide concentration was highest in Bonny (187 mg/m3), and sulphur dioxide concentrations
ranged from 19 mg/m3 in Ukwugba to 90 mg/m3 in Port Harcourt. Total hydrocarbon
ranged from 78 mg/m3 in Odukpani to 192 mg/m3 in Nchia. Carbon dioxide ranged from
400 ppm in Buguma to 450 ppm in Port Harcourt. The most abundant of the VOCs is
benzene and toluene. Ethylene was detected only in one station at concentration
of 0.1 mg/m3 which was negligible. The most
abundant of the metals was zinc, which was present at above 2 mg/m3 in most of the study settlements. In
remote settlements like Buguma and Emuoha, some of the metals were not detected at all. In some instances, short-term
limits for the pollutants exceeded WHO standards. The need for stakeholders
in the region to articulate initiatives that support quality environmental practices
was emphasized as laws pertaining to air quality regulations which are weak and
less enforceable.