Air quality around some cement industries in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

The quality of air around some cement industries operating in Port Harcourt Nigeria was assessed using WHO recommended methods involving a high volume sampler, a train of impingers fitted with bubbler devices and digital gas monitors. The results showed low levels of gaseous pollutants. The concentrations of SPM and NO2 varied between 678.9 and 996.2μg/m3 and 7.8μg/m3 and 20.0 μg/m3 respectively at Atlas cement and were lower than 607.7 and 23,198.5μg/m3 and 27.45 and 140.7μg/m3 respectively at Eagle cement area. Statistical analysis showed significant difference (P<0.05) between the indoor and outdoor mean concentrations of SPM at the cement industries. The concentrations of SPM in all the stations and NO2 at station 1 at Eagle cement exceeded guideline values. These imply serious environmental and health concern. Cement dust in form of SPM arising from cement unloading, transfer, bagging and loading on to trucks was found to be the major problem in the cement industry and bagging of cement in an open area is better than enclosed factory. Therefore the quality of air around cement industries need to be monitored regularly.

Key words: Air, Pollutant, Cement, Dust, Pollution.