Spatial Distribution of Black Soot and Its Health Effects in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

This research presents a novel approach to assessing the health implications of black soot using a MiniVol air sampler. The MiniVol air sampler was used to collect PM from the ambient air at six monitoring sites in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Sampling was conducted every day for seven days, for 24 hours. PM_2.5 concentrations at Uniport Junction, GRA Junction, Slaughter Roundabout, Abuloma Jetty, Rumuomasi Roundabout, and New Road Borokiri were 38.6 g/m³, 28.3 g/m³, 93.7 g/m³, 72.9 g/m³, 30.6 g/m³, and 31.3 g/m³, respectively. PM₁₀ concentrations ranged from 71.2 g/m³ to 60.6 g/m³, with 103.3 g/m³, 85.5 g/m³, 40.1 g/m³, and 35.2 g/m³ being the highest. The level of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ pollution in the ambient air was high across the six sampling sites, with mean PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations exceeding the WHO (2011) guideline. The flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) technique was used. The presence of heavy metals, such as mean metal concentrations of lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and nickel, ranged from 0.009 g/m³ -0.532 g/m³, 0.002 g/m³ - 0.544 g/m³, 0.002 g/m³ -0.338 g/m³, 0.001 g/m³, and 0.001 g/m³ -0.432 g/m³, across the six sampling sites. The GC-MS was used to determine the presence of PAHs in particulate matter. Correlation results revealed a strong positive correlation between PM_2.5 and PM₁₀. The findings also revealed a positive relationship between the metals as well as between the metals and PAHs, resulting in asthma, lung cancer, breathing difficulties, and miscarriages among pregnant women, which have affected the health implications of the people living in the environment.