Seasonal Variability of Carbon Monoxide (CO) in the Ambient Environment of IMO State, Nigeria

Abstract

The air quality of four areas in Imo State with a total of twenty two locations was monitored for a period six months with respect to CO level using Gasman air monitor (Crowcon Instruments Ltd, England. The air quality monitoring was conducted in the morning, afternoon and evening hours within dry and wet seasons in order to elucidate the variability of this atmospheric pollutant in the study locations. The results obtained showed significant variation of the air pollutant in the morning, afternoon and evening including within the twenty four weeks, and between dry and wet seasons. The mean values of CO in the dry season are in the order Egbema > Okigwe > Owerri > Orlu, while the order for the mean CO level in wet season is Okigwe > Orlu > Egbema > Owerri. Elevated concentration of CO was observed in the study areas above 10 ppm, the Nigerian National ambient air quality standard. This observation calls for health and environmental concern. Hence, anthropogenic activities and fugitive emission sources of atmospheric pollutants such as increased vehicular traffic, biomass combustion, use of electric power generating sets, leakages from incinerators and flare stacks should be seriously monitored.