Measurements of Prevalence of Noxious Gases in Some Parts of Kontagora, Niger State, Central Nigeria

Abstract

Every year, thousands of people worldwide lose their lives to ailments that can be traced to environmental pollution arising principally from the release of toxic effluents into the atmosphere and surrounding ecosystems. This study was undertaken in order that the prevalence of gases that are harmful or injurious to human health in some parts of Kontagora town could be determined. Sheets 11, 13, and 21 of the Kontagora cadastral map were earmarked for survey. On each of these sheets, neighbourhoods and point locations that were prone to air pollution from stationary sources were identified; the GPS-referenced signature of each of the point source was recorded. The gas meters were employed to determine three different readings of the various gases of interest at each of those GPS-referenced points. The result of Sheet 11 shows the general trends and patterns of air pollution from fuel burning sources. The high amount of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) released by the diesel generator is most likely due to the high sulphur content of diesel fuel and most of the emissions from the diesel generator and the firewood hearth exceed the safe threshold. The comparative high amount of the carbon monoxide (CO) gas released by the majority of the sources is expected because combustion in all cases involves burning of carbon compounds (hydrocarbon for the liquid fuels and cellulose for the wood fuel). The overwhelmingly dominance of the SO2 gas from the petrol generator and the CO gas from the firewood hearths (of Sheet 13) must be due to high sulphur content in the former and of course the innate matter of the latter. On Sheet 21 the noxious gases posing greater risk to health from the diesel generators (with respect to the threshold) are the SO2, CO, HCN, NO2, and H2S gases, from the petrol generators these are the SO2, Cl2, and HCN gases. From the firewood hearth the noxious gases occurring in greater than acceptable amounts are the CO, Cl2, HCN, NO2, NH3, and H2S, and for the vulcaniser's pump these are the SO2, CO, Cl2, and the NH3 gases.