Assessment of Some Air Quality Parameters in Port Harcourt City Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria

This study evaluated some air parameters in industrial and non – industrial areas of Port Harcourt city. The areas were; Trans – Amadi, Diobu (Mile 3) and Rukpokwu. The ambient air qualities were assessed by using auto gas monitory equipment. The study revealed that the mean values for the months of September, October and November for each parameters were temperature 27.68±0.260C, 26.92±0.040C, and 28.55±0.350C for Diobu, 27.03±0.02 0C, 26.24±0.06 0C and 28.35±0.09 0C for Rukpokwu, 26.04±0.02 0C, 25.31±0.03 0C and 27.38±0.21 0C for Trans-Amadi. Relative humidity were 91.87±0.10 %, 98.65±0.05 % and 86.28±0.16 % for Trans-Amadi, 91.27±0.16 % 91.26±0.12 % and 75.34±0.27 % for Rukpokwu, 87.15±0.69 %, 91.20±0.38 % and 74.79±0.20 % for Diobu. Wind speed were 0.52±0.11 m/s, 0.45±0.06 m/s, and 0.49±0.03 m/s for Diobu, 0.46±0.3 m/s, 0.48±0.18 m/s and 0.56±0.15 m/s for Trans-Amadi, 0.41±0.08 m/s, 0.42±0.11 m/s and 0.42±0.11 m/s and 0.42±0.04 m/s for Rukpokwu. Suspended particulate matters (SPM) were 42.19±1.06 µg/m3, 40.68±3.02 µg/m3 and 42.93±2.19 µg/m3 for Trans-Amadi, 38.30±3.07 µg/m3, 37.23±1.18 µg/m3 and 38.36±0.84 µg/m3 for Diobu, 33.62±0.12 µg/m3, 30.68±0.25 µg/m3 and 33.64±0.09 µg/m3 for Rukpokwu at the various months. While, gaseous emissions parameters such as SO2, CO, NO2, H2S, VOC, CH4, O3 and NH3 mean values were below DPR and FMEnv recommended limits except NH3 which was not detected. The results of student t-test and ANOVA, showed no significant difference between the locations and within the months of the study. The results showed that all the parameters examined were within DPR and FMEnv guidelines for ambient air quality.