Ambient particulate matter levels and health profile in residents of Choba and Mgbuoba areas of Rivers State: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study investigated the health profile of individuals exposed to particulate matter (Black) soot in Choba and Mgbuoba localities of Port Harcourt. The analysis was executed with the aid of 100 respondents (50 from Choba and 50 from Mgbuoba). A structured questionnaire with the outlined elements was utilized during data collection for the study: manner of living, type of occupation, environmental exposure, known health issues, fitness and cleanliness, and Key Informant Interviews (KII) were exploited to gain pertinent data from health professionals. A hand-held Kestrel weather tracker was employed to ascertain the wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity of the study areas while A Met One Instrument, Inc. Aerosol Mass Monitor Model GT–531 was utilized to estimate total suspended particulates. Biochemical parameters such as lipid profile, renal markers, and liver markers activities were analyzed from blood samples obtained from the subjects using spectrophotometric methods. The air quality profile of Mgbuoba showed significant (p < .05) increment in total suspended particulate matter, total suspended particulate matter (TSPM), particulate matter that is 10 microns in diameter or less (PM10), and particulate matter that is 2.5 microns in diameter or less (PM2.5) from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. compared with Choba. The increment in Total suspended particulate matter, PM10, and PM2.5 levels were beyond the 24-hour PM10 and PM2.5 recommended level by the World Health Organization (WHO). The alanine transaminase (ALT) and low density lipoproptein (LDL) levels of Choba and Mgbuoba residents were beyond the reference limits set by the Medical Council of Canada. The study showed that residents in Mgbuoba in Port Harcourt may be more at risk and have higher vulnerability to the undesirable outcomes associated with exposures to these air contaminants. A rising and worrisome trend in respiratory and related conditions among less mobile residents call for emergency response to emission of black soot in the area. Implications: The study investigated the health profile of individuals exposed to particulate matter (Black) soot in Choba and Mgbuoba localities of Port Harcourt. This outcome clearly shows that these air pollutants are higher in concentrations early in the morning and their concentrations decreased as the day went by. Therefore, by implication, the residents in these areas may be at high risk of exposure to these air pollutants from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. The present study has demonstrated that these air pollutants are more prominent very early in the mornings and variations in meteorological conditions at a particular time, and anthropogenic activities might have contributed to the elevations in the concentration of TSPM, PM10, and PM2.5 in Choba and Mgbuoba.