Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • CONCENTRATIONSOFPOLLUTANTGASES

    Uploaded by

    ChristianJayValdez
    13 views3 pages
    qsqwsqwsqwsqs

    Original Title

    CONCENTRATIONSOFPOLLUTANTGASES (1)

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document
    qsqwsqwsqwsqs

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    13 views3 pages

    CONCENTRATIONSOFPOLLUTANTGASES

    Uploaded by

    ChristianJayValdez
    qsqwsqwsqwsqs

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 3
    yee : 12°" Inieniatonal Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences 1(1): 17-20, 2005 “Topas institute of Scientific Research and Develaginent, 2005 . <> CONCENTRATIONS OF POLLUTANT GASES IN FEMALE HOSTELS eo - THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY OWERRI, NIGERIA €.G. Okolit, M. C. Nwadike!, P. &. Uzolje', 1. D. Onyicha® and 7. € Akujobi? wiranmental Health Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental Technology, Federal University of Technology, PMA 1526, Owerrl, Imo State, Nigeria 2 Imo State Environmental Protection Agency Laboratories, Owerri, Nigeria Corresponding Author: Or C. G. Okoli, E. mail: chidiokoli_futogyahoo.com ‘ABSTRACT ‘The concentrations of aerial pollutant gases carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxide (NO,) and Hydrogen sulfide (HS) were measured in female students hostels in the Federal University of Technology Owerri during the month of October 2004, Two hundred and fifty two (252) of such measurements wore carried aut for each gas at six sites inclucling tolets, bathrooms, rooms near tolletfbathroom, middie rooms, kitchen and rooms near kitchen’ in order to determine their concentrations in four hostels. The results of the study gave overall mean concentrations of CO, NOz and H,S ‘as 10.75ppm, O.t4ppm and .20ppre respectively. Concentration of CO in the kitchen (11.67ppm) was significantly higher than values recorded at the other sites (p<0.05). Nitrous oxide concentrations in toilet, middie room, rooms near tolletsfbath rooms and kitchen were also significantly high (p<0.05), while the 0.23ppm of HS recorded in the kitchen was equally statistically different from those of other sites. The overall mean values of these gases significantly exceeded Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) ambient air quality standards, indicating that air quatity in the hostels may constitute health risks to the students Key words: Pollutant gases, female hostile, Nigeria AWTRODUCTION An ideal university is expected ta provide conducive environment for stress free learning activities. Provision of necessities such as adequate and good hostel blocks with well ‘ventilated rooms, functional sewage systems, potable water and electricity among others is therefore a very Important responsiblity of an ideal university authority, Inadequate provision of these may expose a resident student population ta serious academic, economic and health problems. Such health problems may be more pronounced amang the female student population. Students’ social life is influenced by contacts in the. academic and residential environment. However, @ major proportion of students’ social life occurs in_ his place of i residence, which forms the background for leisure, and the development of (rlendships as f well a the environment for intellectual activity and study. The resident community of the Federal University of Technology Oweri (FUTO) is predominated by on-campus students. Indeed, all the staff and fecully members of the university reside in the adjoining tovins. Basic infrastructures such as adequate number of hostel blocks, functional sewage system and portable water points are honever perennial problems of this student community (Okoli et al, 2005). For example, because of pear toilet faciities, students on many occastons are known to resort to answering the call of nature Ia iN the adjoining bushes. . There Is a serious shorlage of student hostel accommodation in FUTO, Student hostel buildings in the university are usually large an! offically accommodate about ane thousand students per block. Usually another SOOO students may be residing Wegally in each black with the result that 20 students may be sharing a raom. This evercrowing poses serious Ventilatian problem i the rooms and may cause the build-up of pollutant gases, which may ‘cause health problems among the students. Overcrariding and poor ventilation are krewn to influonce the accumulation of pollutant gases such as carbon menoxide, sulfur dioxide, wdrogen sulfide and nitrous oxide among others in resicential areas (Davis and Comwelh, 8). ‘These may provoke numerous health problems among residents, For example periodic jure to oxides of nitrogen, especially nitrous oxide (NO,) and nitric oxide prowake @ W kaif et al.: Concentrations of paltutant gases in female hostels ' pIscussION 3 In the last two decades, researchers have become increasingly interested in identifying sources, concentrations, and impacts of air pollutants that arise in conventional domestic residences (Davis and Carnwell, 1998). Such sources of pollutant gases in the studied female hastels in tne Federal University of Technalagy Gwerrl may include kerosene and gas stoves, cleclric generators, refrigerators, candle light, perfumes, overpopulated student rooms, materials in the rooms such as camphor, paints, resins, carpets, furnishing materials as well a thick cotton materials used in demarcating personal sections In the rooms, Overall mean eaneentrations @f aerial pollutant CO, NO, and H.S in student's hostels the Federal University of Technolagy Owen during the month Octeber, 200% “Ste CO (ppm), NOs (ppm) ‘HS (porn) Toilet 10.88" oat ~~ 0,02" e Bathroom 10.71" 0.10" ous Middle ream 10.45” 0.14" gag Rooms near toitet/bathreom 10.44" Our 0.03" kitehen Le" ou? O28 Rooms near kitchen 10.33" 0,09" 0.16" Overall mean 40.75 on4 0.20 SEM 116, 0012 0.028 Table 2: Comparison of gas concentrations in female /hostels at Federal University of Technology Owerri and Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) recommended standards for residential areas. ation (ppm) FEPA standards (pam P. Values, co 10.75 10 0.0230 NOp O14 0.06 0.2422 HS 0.20 0.01 0.4682 ‘The high levels of CO recorded here may have arisen from overcrowding, generelors and improperly operating stoves among others. It has been show that CO concentrations of 20ppm for 8 haurs will adversely affect people with heart and ralatongmn's, chianic pulmonary disease, developing fetuses and those with conditions that“equse increased oygen demand, such as fever (Ferris, 1978). While cur overall figure for CO ray be below 20ppm, the fact Unat it is above FEPA standard and the possiblity of pockets of mubh higher {925 levels existing during other periods highlights the impartance of the present result. “The fact that our, NO, and HS level were significantly higher than FEPA standards highbghts the serious health risks of living in such hostel environment. For example, studies in UGA, Brazil and Germany have related higher levels these pollutant gases to increased risks respiratory, cardiovascular and cancer related deaths as well a5 pneumonia, lung funetio loss, hospital admissions and asthma (Reichhardt, 1995). Specifically, such high exposure to Nay has been associated with respiratory illness and daereased pulmonary function (Kao, 1994). CONCLUSION “The present study has shown that the levels of the various gases measured during the e2tly dry season months of October were high and exceeded FEPA standards. This translates te ‘serious health risks for the female students living in the hostels. The study: creates awareness ‘on dangers associated with poor environmental conditions and activities in students’ hostels and therefore serves as 0 guide to policy formulation In students” hostels management i figeria. There is hawever Whe need to extend the study to other periods of the year especially the late dry season perlods. 19 Z Oko et-al.z Concentrations of pollutant gases in female hustals REFERENCES: Davis, M. L. and Cornwell, D. A. (1998). Sniraduction to enriranmental engineering (3% ed.) McGraw-Hill series In water resources and environmental engineering, McGraw-Hill Company Ine,, Boston. Ferris, B, G, (1978). Health effects of exposure to tow levels of regulated air pollutants. 2 Air Poll, Cone. Assoc, 28:482-492. Kao, A. S, (1994), Formation and removal reactions of hazardous air pollutants. J. Air Waste Mgt. Assoe., 44: 683-696. :

    You might also like