Assessment of Ambient Air Quality with Special Reference to PM10 at the Waste Dumpsite Located in Osisioma Ngwa L.G.A., Nigeria
Nwakanma, C. & Ikwa, U. E
Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology
Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria
Email: dr.nwakanmac@gmail.com
Corresponding Author: Nwakanma, C.
ABSTRACT
A study of ambient air quality with special reference to Particulate Matter (PM10) at the waste dumpsite located at Osisioma Ngwa, Aba was carried out during the morning and evening hours of the dry season in Nigeria. Sample were collected from six designated areas of the dump sites at Osisioma and were labelled AQSP (1), AQSP (2), AQSP (3), AQSP (4), AQSP (5), and AQSP (6), within the sample spaces, a control point was determined and labelled AQSP (7). The sampling was done with some hard hold air quality monitors to determine and measure the concentration of harmful pollutants in the environment. The mean values of Particulate Matter (PM10) concentration during morning hour at the different location reads: Umuigwe dumpsite (6.32mg/m3); Umujima dumpsite (13.92mg/m3); Niger stone dumpsite (16.40mg/m3); Uratta Amaisa dumpsite (12.60mg/m3); Eyimba market dumpsite (7.20mg/m3); Asaeme dumpsite (6.40mg/m3) and Owerrinta control location (4.30mg/m3). Values obtained for evening hour reading include: Umuigwe dumpsite (6.32mg/m3); Umujima dumpsite (18.40mg/m3); Niger stone dumpsite (60.60mg/m3); Uratta Amaisa dumpsite (8.80mg/m3); Eyimba market dumpsite (7.82mg/m3); Asaeme dumpsite (3.16 mg/m3) and Owerrinta control location (2.86mg/m3). The data were analyzed using mixed effect models with random subject effect for repeated measurements. The results indicated that air quality concentrations were unfenced by meteorological factors like temperature, relative humidity and wind speed and the low concentrations obtained within the study area may be due to absence of major road construction.
Keywords: Air pollution, particulate matter, pollutant, contaminant, air monitoring, automobiles, waste dumpsite, Nigeria.
