Assessment of Metrological Parameters from Three Selected Locations in Eleme and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas of Rivers State, Nigeria.

Abstract:

Industrialisation and urbanisation have increased exponentially in the past decade, leading to a higher release of environmental pollutants into the environment. Anthropogenic activities have caused several changes in the activities of air quality. This work was aimed at assessing the levels of metorological parameters; Carbon dioxide (CO2), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Hydrogen sulphide (H2S), Carbon monoxide (CO), Ammonia (NH3) and Formaldehyde (HCHO) in selected parts of Eleme and Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The concentrations of selected air quality parameters were measured in-situ using standard measurements. The Samples were collected from sixteen stations of three locations in parts of Eleme and Port Harcourt Metropolis bimonthly for one year. Data obtained was statistically analysed with using one-way annova and ducan for mean separation across stations. Meteorological parameters and their values ranged in all the stations as follows; HCHO (0.23±0.01 to 5.42±0.29 mg/m3), EO (0.57±0.14 to2.53±0.17mg/m3), NO (undetected to 0.45±0.03mg/m3), SO2 (undetected to0.90±0.13mg/m3), VOC (1.53±0.14 to18.04±3.03mg/m3), H2S (undetected to 0.83±0.93mg/m3), CO (undetected to 15.83 ±1.44mg/m3), NH3 (undetected to 5.83±1.33mg/m3), CH4 (undetected to5.17±1.60mg/m3) and CO2 (0.08±0.01 to 0.85±0.02mg/m3). All meteorological parameters showed a significant difference in the mean concentrations across the stations at p<0.05. All parameters assessed were within the recommended values to be present in the air.