Spatial Assessment of Atmospheric Pollutants Load in a Palm Oil Processing Plant in Ubima, Ikwere Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria — Oak Academic Publishing
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Spatial Assessment of Atmospheric Pollutants Load in a Palm Oil Processing Plant in Ubima, Ikwere Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria
Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management, Rivers State University Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
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Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management, Rivers State University Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
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Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management, Rivers State University Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
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Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management, Rivers State University Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
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Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria
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Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State, Nigeria
1 Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management, Rivers State University Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
2 Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management, Rivers State University Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
3 Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management, Rivers State University Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
4 Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management, Rivers State University Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
5 Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria
6 Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State, Nigeria
This study examined the spatial variations in atmospheric pollutant loads around a palm oil processing facility in Ubima, in the Ikwere Local Government Area of Rivers State. Data for air quality parameters (O 3 , CH 4 , CO, CO 2 , PM 2.5 and PM 10 ) were collected for a period of three months (January to March, 2024), using multi-gas detectors. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypothesis of the study. The study found that Ozone (O 3 ) concentration decreased from 1.56 mg/m 3 at 50 meters from the company, to 0.56 mg/m 3 at 200 m. The concentration of methane decreased from 1.33 mg/m 3 at 50 m away from the company to 0.95 mg/m 3 at 200 m. CO was 1.15 mg/m 3 at 50 m and 0.78 mg/m 3 at 200 m. Similarly, CO 2 at 50 m was 2.10 mg/m 3 and at 200 m it was 1.04 mg/m 3 . The same pattern could be reported for PM 2.5 and PM 10 , in which the concentration decreased from the source of pollution to 200 meters away from the company. ANOVA showed that there was a significant spatial difference in Ozone (P < 0.05; F = 208.968, sig = 0.00); methane (P < 0.05; F = 214.864, sig = 0.00); CO (P < 0.05; F = 200.262, sig = 0.00); CO 2 (P < 0.05, F = 225.875, sig = 0.00); PM 2.5 (P < 0.05, F = 150.443, sig = 0.00) and PM 10 (P < 0.05; F = 146.012, sig = 0.00). The study concluded that, except for the concentration of CO, the concentration of air quality parameters like O 3 , CO 2 , PM 2.5 and PM 10 were above the WHO standard which could portend possible health challenges for people living around the company. Moreover, the air quality parameters experienced a gradual reduction in concentration with distance from the major operating zone of the palm oil processing facility. It was recommended among others that there is an urgent need to prioritize the transition to the use of clean energy in the operations of the palm oil processing facility.
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