Intervitional Journal of Natural and. Applied Sciences 1(1); 17-20, 2005 >. "Tapas Institute of Scientific Research and Development, 2005 = CONCENTRATIONS OF POLLUTANT GASES IN FEMALE HOSTELS ne THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY OWERRI, NIGERIA CG: Okoll!, M. €. Nwadiket, P, A, Uzolje!, 1, D, Onyichat and T. C Akujob? ental Health Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental Technology, eileral University oF Technology, PMB 1526, Owserri, Imo State, Nigeria . Imo State Environmental Protection Agency Laboratories, Owerri, Nigeria Corresponding Authar: Dr C. G. Okell, E, mail: chidiakall_futo@ yahoo.com tn ABSTRACT The cancentrations of aerial pollutant gases carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxide (NO,) and Hydragen sulfide (H)S) were measured in female students hostels In the Federal University of Technology Owerri during the month af October 2004. Two hundred and fifty two (252) of such measurements were carried gut for each gas at six sites including tallets, bathrooms, Fooms near toilleiuathroam, middle 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, NO, and HS as 10.7Sppm, O.L4ppm and 0.20ppm 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 tollet, middle room, rooms near tollets/bath rooms ahd kitchen were also significantly high (p<0.05), while the 0.23pm 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 (FEFA) ambient air quality standards, indicating that air quality in the hostels may constitute health risks to the students: Key words: Pollutant gases, female hastile, Migerla INTRODUCTION ‘An Ideal university is expected to provide conducive environment for stress free learning activities. Provision ef 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 responsibly of an ideal university authority. Inadequate provision ‘of these may expase a resident student population to serious academic, economic and health problems. Such health problems may be more pronounced among the female student Population, Students’ social life is Influenced by contacts in the academic and resideitial enviranment. However, a major proportion ef students’ social life occurs in his place oF residence, which forms the background for lelsure, and the development of friendships as swell as the environment for intellectual activity and study. The resident community of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) Is predominated by on-campus students. Indeed, all the staff and faculty members of the University reside in the adjoining towns. Basic infrastructures such as adequate number of hostel blocks, functional sewage system and portable water points are however perennial problems of this student community (Okoli e¢ af, 2005). For example, because of poor toilet facilities, students on many occasions are knawn ta resort to answering the call of nature i the adjoining bushes. There IS 8 sctious shortage of student hostel accommodation in FUTO, Student hostel buildings in the university are usually large and-offiially accommodate about one thousand students per block, Usually another-8000 students may be residing legally in each black with the result that 20 students may be sharing a room. ‘This overcrowding poses. serious ventilation prablem int the rooms and may cause the build-up of pallutant gases, which may cause health problems among the students, Qvercrowding and poor ventilatian are knowin to influence the accumulation of pellutant gases such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, gydregen sullide and ritrous oxide among others in residential areas (avis and Cornwell 0), These may provoke numerqus health problems among resents, For example periodic sure 10 oxides of nitrogen, especially nitrous oxide (NO) and nitric oxide provoke 3 ‘ W7 \Okoll et 2) Concentrations of pollutant gases in female hastels. umber of respiratory conditions depending on. concentration, time of exposure and age of the person. (Laciak eta, 1977; Sernfeld, 1975) There is therefore the need to assess the concentrations of pollutant gases In these, student hostels since conditions predisposing to their high concentrations are prevalent in the hastels, Such information is needed for health and planning logistic of the university, The present study reports the. concentrations of carbon monoxide, nitrous. axide and frydrogen sulfide it famele student hastels at the Federal University of Technology Owerrl during the month of ‘Octaber 2004. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Students Hostel Federal University Of Technology: The Federal Universiy of Tednology vier! provided foclity that wil enhance the quality of the residential cevionment. The hostel area Is ebaut 20 minutes or 2km walk to the main academic ar er vanely of hostel accommodations are provided for both male and female students. The I ere ccommodate ebout 33.3% of the total students population, The hostels ore sub ae inte 4 Pols each accommodating about nine hundred and forty students (940) legally seit raving its luncres, ttchens, bathrooms, toilets and commen rooms. The rooms were sesigned for double occupancy and ensure space for studying. The residence fs ‘occupied for between 20 and 40 weeks per years ceeuRane gases meadurement: Two tals were used for the sumdy. The Sie Potutane Ge were cared out In October 2004 while students were in residence, The aiemments were taken randomly in tolls, batnreoms, 2 rooms near tllets, batyiooti%s ae noms, Kitchens, and two rooms neat the kien. The concentrations of aero! a am onde (CO), nitrous dioxide (NO,) and hydrogen sulphide (H:S) were meacwred farts per milion (ppm) during moining Hours (9 -12. noon) heuts dope the procedure as oe athe et ol, (1997) which. Involves taking representative readings ot cere cee ea\a room. Measurement proper was done using tive Gasman Hand Hell perseral {gas detector (Crowicon, Instruments Lid. England) that employs electrochemical sensors for 5% measurements. During Whe gas measurements, these hand held equpmen’ We held at aes Lone foot above the floor Kevel and the readings were recorded within 19 seconds. All apeiyses were coliraled for zero and span before and after reading. In each hostel both ide and outside temperature of the rooms and relative humidity were also recorded. The Tength width and height ofthe wal of the rooms were measured in mete. ra alysis: Data colleced were subjected to simple descriptive and quaniitative Hatelies, Descriptive statistics involved calculations of means and percentade® The means sare further sulpjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and where significant differences Tere ane hey were separated using the Sludentt-est method (Steal and Torre, 1980), RESULTS “The results of the sludy gave overall mean cancertrations of CO, NOv and Het as 10.75ppm, O.tappm and 0.20pm respectively (Table 1). Concentration of CO in the kitchen (aLG7ppm) was significantly higher than values recorded at the other sites (p<0.05). The custinm and 10.7tppm recorded at the toilets and bathrooms althous) visually high were do sepmiiicanily higher than the values at the other sites. Nitrous, oxide caneentrations IN Totet migele rooms, rooms nea talletsfbath rooms and Kitchen were also significantly high (p<0,05), while the 0.23ppm of HyS recorded in the kitchen was equally statistically different from those of other sites. Teun 2 showed a comparison of gas concentrations in female hostel and Federal Tretronmental Protection Agency (FEPA) recommended standards for residential areas. The Gverall mean values of nitraus odde and hydrogen sulfide were si nificantly higher the FEPA aivbiant ait quality standards in resklential areas, Although the overay CO measurement (or aeaeistels C10.7Sppm) was visually higher than FEPA standards, ® Was rot significantly 18.4 Oke et af.: ConcenLiations of pollutant gases in female hostels bIscussION In the lost two decades, researchers have become increasingly interested in identifying sources, concentrations, and Impacts of air pollutants that arise in convenlional domestic residences (Davis and Cornwell, 1998). Such sources of pollutant gases in the studied female hostels in the Federal University of Technology Owerri may include kerosene and gas stoves, electric generators, refrigerators, candle light, perfumes, overpopulated student rooms, taterials in the rooms such as éanipher, painls, resins, carpets, furnishing materials as wel as thick colton materials used in demarestiny personal sections in he rooms. Table 1: Overall mean concentrations of aerial pollutant CO, NO, and H,5 in student's hostels at the Federal University af Technolagy Owerri during the month Getober, 2004 sane ae 0 fopm Np (pom Toilet at O14 aaa Bathicom 20.715 o.10" Middle reont 10.45" oa Rooms near toilebathraam 10.44 oy kitchen 11.67" oat Rooms near kitchen 10,33" os" Gveratl mean 10.75 0.14 SEM OIG 0.012 Table 2: Comparison of gas concentrations in female hostels at federal University of Technology Overri and Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) recommended standards for residential areas. — Hostel ation (ppm) EPA standards (ppm) P.Values: co. 10.78 10 00230 NO; ond 0.06 0.2422 re 0.20 01 o.46n2 “The high levels of CO recorded here may have arisen from overcrowding, generators and improperly operating stoves among others. Tt has been showh that CO concentrations of 20ppm for 8 hours will adversely affect people with heart and fein amet chronic pulmonary disease, developing fetuses and those with conditians that eayse increased ‘oxygen demand, such as fever (Ferris, 1978). While our overall figure for CO 20ppm, the fact that i is above FEPA standard and the possiblity of packets af mul ‘gas levels existing during other periods highlights the Importance of the present result. ‘The fact that our, NO, and HS level were significantly higher than FEPA standards high the serious health risks of living in such hostel environment, For example, studies in Brazil and Germany have related higher levels these pollutant gases to increased risks respiralory, cardiovascular and cancer related deaths as well as pneumonia, lung functi loss, hospital admissions and asthma (Reichhardt, 1995). Specifically, such high exposure to NO, has been associated with respiratory iliness and decreased pulmanary function (Kao, 1994). be below higher CONCLUSION : ‘The present study has shown that the levels ef the various gases measured during he early dry season manths of October vere high and exceeded FEPA standards. This translates to serious health risks for the female students living in the hostels. The: study creates awareness fen dangers associated with poor environmental conditions and activities in students’ hostels and therefore serves asa guide to policy formulation tn students’ hostels management in higeria. There is however the need to extend the study to ether periods of the year especially the late dry season perlods, 19Okoli et al.: Cancentrations of pollutant gases in female hostels REFERENCES Davis, M. L. and Comwell, D. A. 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