Influence of electric power generator variables on indoor air quality in residential buildings

Abstract

The study assessed the influence of electric power generator variables on the quality of air in indoor environment of buildings. A quantitative survey method was adopted for the study. Kaduna metropolis was the study area grouped into twelve (12) clusters; and six (6) households were purposively selected from each of the cluster for the survey. A total of 72 households that operate electric power generators for power supply in buildings participated in the study. IMR1400 combustible gas analyzer was used to measure 432 samples of air pollutants' concentration in the 72 households (6 per household). SPSS version 15 was used to correlate the generator variables with the air pollutants measured. The results showed that the characteristics of generator age (at 0.05 significance level) at all the clusters were similar unlike the generator capacities which were different in few clusters. It was also observed that all the generator distances away from the building indoor were the same except for Sabon Tasha. For the indoor air pollutants concentration, carbon monoxide (CO) concentration for all the clusters were the same, while few of the clusters have similar concentration of Sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and half of the clusters have the same oxides of nitrogen (NOx) concentrations. The mean CO concentration recorded in the indoor was 6.18ppm less than the WHO limit (10ppm), while the mean SO₂ concentration was 0.17ppm higher than the WHO limit of 0.01ppm and the mean NOx concentration was 0.14ppm higher than the WHO limit (0.04 to 0.06ppm). The results also showed that the indoor CO concentration (at 0.05 significant level) has no relationship with generator age, capacity and distance. Also, SO₂ and NOx have no significance relationship with the age, capacity and distance. It was concluded that the generator age and capacity did not influence the indoor air pollutants concentrations but the generator distance from the building influenced the emission of CO in the building indoors. It was recommended that studies on the indoor gaseous pollutants concentration and the generator distance from the building should be intensified.

Keywords: Building indoor environment, air pollutants, households, IMR 1400, electric power generator