Abstract
Fine particulate matter and eight heavy metals (Ni, Co, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, Mn, and Zn) concentrations were determined in air samples collected from three industrial sites in northern Nigeria using a Handheld Portable Particle Counter for PM2.5 and PM10 with model number CW-HAT 200 and a High Volume Respirable Dust Sampler (APM 460 NL) in conjunction with an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Serial No. AA0904M046) Flame Test. The results of the fine particulates ranged from 11.0 - 46.0 μg.m-3 for PM2.5 and 22.0 - 88 μg.m-3 for PM10 across all the industrial sites investigated. Most of these results exceeded the WHO permissible levels of 25.0 μg.m-3 and 50.0 μg.m-3 for PM2.5 and PM10 and thus pose threats to people living and working close to these sites. The concentration of the heavy metals studied were found to be within WHO/EU set standards except for the concentrations of Ni, Pb, and Cd that exceeded the set standard by WHO/EU with toxicity potential >1 in the Terytex industry, Kano and Grand Cereals, Jos. Strong positive correlations were found between the fine particulates concentrations and heavy metals in all the studied sites suggesting that common anthropogenic sources contributed to the fine particulates and heavy metals recorded from the industrial areas. We suggested the installation of electrostatic precipitators to combat fine particulates emission from the stack and also recommended a proper legislative framework by the government to regulate and control industrial fugitive emissions to protect human health.
Highlights
Air pollution research has gained a lot of prominences worldwide in recent times, because of the increased level of anthropogenic activities and climatic change arising from the quest for industrialization in all cities of the world
Strong positive correlations were found between the fine particulates concentrations and heavy metals in all the studied sites suggesting that common anthropogenic sources contributed to the fine particulates and heavy metals recorded from the industrial areas
The sampling tools used were HAT 200 PM2.5-10 detector, and a High Volume Respirable Dust Sampler (APM 460 NL) model. The former is a digital meter that displayed the concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 simultaneously on the screen while, the later consists of an inlet pipe with an inbuilt flow rate meter and a filter adaptor assembly which is connected by a cyclone to the sampling pump, to which airborne particulates was collected on a rectangular Whatman glass fiber filter papers (GF/A) 20.32 by 25.40 centimeters
Summary
Air pollution research has gained a lot of prominences worldwide in recent times, because of the increased level of anthropogenic activities and climatic change arising from the quest for industrialization in all cities of the world. It is one of the major causes of deterioration in human health conditions as the breathing of safe air is important just as safe water or food (Akolkar et al, 2015). Monitoring fine particulates pollution and controlling their emission levels in the surrounding air have become one of the major concerns of environmental protection agencies and public health protection organizations
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