Abstract
Rural dwellers in the Niger Delta commonly use biomass for cooking and other activities. This study investigated the air quality index of fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and coarse particulate matter 10 (PM10) and its health implications during outdoor combustion of fuelwood in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. A mini-volume air sampler (model: AEROCET 531) was used to measure PM2.5, PM10, and total suspended particulate (TSP) in the study area. A bimonthly triplicate sampling was carried out at 3 distances in 4 different states spanning one Calendar year. The results showed that PM2.5, PM10, and TSP ranged from 19.85 – 27.95µg/m3, 55.66 – 80.59µg/m3, and 74.29 – 140.44µg/m3, respectively. There was statistical variation across the different months, locations and distances, and their interactions. The concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 occasionally exceeds the World Health Organization limits of 25µg/m3 and 50µg/m3 for 24-hourly average, respectively. The air quality index showed no contamination to slight contamination in both seasons. The air quality index indicates that the air is slightly contaminated at the emission source which decreased as distance away increased. Therefore, there is a need for the regulatory agencies to consider PM2.5 and PM10 in the monitoring of ambient air quality to forestall potential hazards associated with human exposure.
Highlights
Illicit financial flows (IFFs) have been identified as the biggest challenge to development
Combating IFFs is an important element of tackling the crime, corruption, and violent extremism that threaten stability and economic development
The Africa by Africa Growth Initiative Report (2020) indicated that: We find a positive and significant relationship between Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and illicit financial flows
Summary
Illicit financial flows (IFFs) have been identified as the biggest challenge to development They are increasingly becoming a source of concern for developing countries (Massa, 2014). IFFs threaten the fundamental aspects of development, such as the rule of law, the quality and accountability of democratic institutions and, the broader social trust (Reuter, 2017). These illicit outflows largely exceed aid funds and a great proportion of the flows are likely to stem from corruption (Global Financial Integrity, 2017). It is estimated that Zimbabwe lost over US$32,179 billion through IFFs since 2000 (The Zimbabwe Independent, 2020)
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