Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality Levels at Various Locations Within Lead City University, Ibadan

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Air quality in university environment is strongly affected by the student population explosion, climatic conditions and industrial activity within the institution. Monitoring the main air pollutants such as carbon dioxides, carbon monoxide and particulate matter may help control the most polluted areas of the institution and take measures to reduce the pollution.Universities are big metropolitan institutions with sizable populations of students, employees, and visitors. However, university settings can contribute to air pollution, with diverse activities such as lab work, cooking in dorms, and vehicle traffic, among others, causing interior and ambient air pollution. It is impossible to estimate how much air pollution affects the health and happiness of students without embarking on this type of research work. PURPOSE/AIM: Evaluation of meteorology parameters (i.e. temperature and relative humidity (RH)) and ambient air quality (CO, CO2 and particulate matter (PM2.5)) level at various locations within Lead City University, Ibadan is essential. METHODOLOGY: Ambient concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), Relative humidity (RH), Temperature (TEMP), and Particulate Matter (PM2.5) were measured in 15 locations across Lead City University over a two-week period (between 25th of June 2023 and 3rd of August 2023) with Bosean air quality detector -T-201. RESULTS: Morning temperatures in all the locations measured ranging from 23.7°C to 29.2°C while afternoon temperature fluctuates more significantly, with the lowest recorded at 27.2°C and the highest at a notably warmer 35.8°C in all the locations measured. The morning RH levels ranging from 63.8% to 74.7% while afternoon RH values, ranging from 58.2% to 63.4%. The finding also shows that afternoon CO2 levels range from 468.5 ppm to 971.6 ppm, with Location 13 having an unusually high average. Morning CO levels ranging from 4.1 ppm to 49 ppm, with location 13 showing the most highest figure of 184.2 ppm. CO2 and CO levels are mostly within acceptable ranges as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) that CO2 concentration levels in school buildings should kept below 1000 ppm and CO be below an average of nine parts per million (ppm) for any eight-hour period, and below 25 ppm for any one-hour period as an indicative benchmark of good indoor air quality (IAQ). Morning RH values range from 63.8% to 74.7%, with Location 1 having the highest average while afternoon RH values are between 58.9% and 67.7%, with Location 6 having the highest average. The relatively narrow variance in RH indicates that the dataset predominantly represents conditions with moderate humidity levels. Morning PM levels vary from 8.9 to 17.1µg/m³, suggesting diverse air quality conditions across the samples. In the afternoon, PM concentrations display a broader range, from 8.9 to an exceptionally high 436.1 in Location 13. Interestingly, all the air pollutants measured are still within the USA EPA permissible level of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5, which is 35 μg/m3, and CO, which is 40 mg/m3 and CO2 between 400 - 1,000ppm CONCLUSION: Variability in these parameters has implications for human health therefore, adequate ventilation and pollution control measures is thereby recommended for the university management in order to improve indoor air quality.