Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques

Published date: Mar 20 2025

Journal Title: Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques

Issue title: Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques: Volume 13, Issue 1

Pages: 1 - 27

DOI: 10.18502/jett.v13i1.18078

Okoroafor Okechukwu Uchejeuchejeok21@gmail.comCentre for Environmental Management and Green Energy, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus

Ifeanyi Emmanuel Ofoezieiofoezie@oauife.edu.ngInstitute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State

Vehicular emissions are a major source of air pollution, affecting air quality and human health. Port Harcourt faces increasing pollution due to high traffic, but the patterns and influencing factors are not well studied. This research examines air pollutant levels in high- and low-traffic areas, considering the effects of traffic and weather conditions. This was done to determine the pattern of air pollution concentrations in the city’s high and low traffic density zones. Five locations—Ozuoba, Umuechi, Rumuokoro, Rumuola, and Ada George—were chosen based on traffic density, and the concentrations of air pollutants and particle matter were tracked there. This is with the view to understand the extent traffic contributes to vehicular pollution and its consequences on human health. MX6 Ibrid Multigas Monitors (CO, VOC, SO₂, NO₂), MET ONE GT 321 for particle matter, Davis Vantage Vue and Weather Station for meteorological data, were used to monitor the quality of the air. The number of cars traveling through a site during three hours in the morning, afternoon, and nighttime was counted to create traffic records at the chosen places. Over two years (2018-2019), every parameter was observed in every site five days a week. PCA, t-test, One-way ANOVA, correlation, and regression were used to evaluate the data, were needed. The mean concentration of all pollutants was substantially (p < 0.001) greater in high-traffic density areas (HTDA) than in low-traffic density areas (LTDA), according to the results. CO (5.20±3.11-23.49±11.67 ppm), SO₂ (0.03±0.02-0.28±0.25 ppm), NO₂ (0.05±0.05-0.37±0.31 ppm), PM_2.5 (67.18±37.33-189.63±77.10μg/m3), PM₁₀ (65.90±45.04- 175.29±65.07 μg/m3), and VOC (0.06±0.07-0.37±0.36 ppm) were among the range of mean concentrations. Between 2018 and 2019, there was a substantial (p < 0.01) variation in the levels of CO and VOC, while other variables were similar. The concentrations of the other pollutants were similar (P>0.05), while the VOC concentrations differed significantly (p<0.05) between January and December. It was discovered that while weather variables including temperature, humidity, and wind speed had a major impact on the contaminants’ distribution, traffic volume greatly contributed to their concentration. Pollutants and meteorological elements are loaded into two components, according to principal component analysis. The major factor includes all of the pollutants and traffic volume, while the minor factor was the weather-related parameters. The study concluded that there was a distinctive pattern of air pollutant emissions in the studied area and that, although traffic levels greatly influence the pollutants’ concentration, meteorological factors also had an impact. Also, pollutants emitted from vehicles advanced over the years, thereby threatening human health. Among other things, it was suggested that air quality monitors be installed at various traffic crossings to track exhaust emissions levels for improved regulation and impact checks.

Keywords: air-pollutants, vehicles, emission, meteorological, traffic

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