Spatiotemporal distribution of pollutants and impact of local meteorology on source influence on pollutants' level in a traffic air-shed in Lagos megacity, Nigeria.

Pollution from vehicular emissions is a major cause of poor air quality observed in many urban and semi-urban towns and cities. As such, this study was conducted to assess air quality and the spatiotemporal distribution of vehicular and traffic-related pollutants in several air sheds of Lagos megacity, the economic nerve centre of Nigeria. A setup of low-cost air quality sensors comprising five (5) units was deployed between November 2018 and February 2019 within traffic corridors in the heart of the city.

Impacts of COVID-19 Restrictions on Regional and Local Air Quality Across Selected West African Cities.

The emergence of COVID-19 brought with it panic and a sense of urgency causing governments to impose strict restrictions on human activities and vehicular movements. With anthropogenic emissions, especially waste management (domestic and municipal), traffic, and industrial activities, said to be a significant contributor to ambient air pollution, this study assessed the impacts of the imposed restrictions on the concentrations and size distribution of atmospheric aerosols and concentration of gaseous pollutants over West African subregion and seven major COVID-19 epicenters in the subregion. Satellite retrievals and reanalysis data sets were used to study the impact of the restrictions on Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and atmospheric concentrations NO, SO, CO, and O.

Analysis of the variability of airborne particulate matter with prevailing meteorological conditions across a semi-urban environment using a network of low-cost air quality sensors.

The concentrations of fine and coarse fractions of airborne particulate matter (PM) and meteorological variables (wind speed, wind direction, temperature and relative humidity) were measured at six selected locations in Ile Ife, a prominent university town in Nigeria using a network of low-cost air quality (AQ) sensor units. The objective of the deployment was to collate baseline air quality data and assess the impact of prevailing meteorological conditions on PM concentrations in selected residential communities downwind of an iron smelting facility. The raw data obtained from OPC-N2 of the AQ sensor units was corrected using the RH correction factor developed based k-Kohler theory.

Biomonitoring of environmental pollution in the vicinity of iron and steel smelters in southwestern Nigeria using transplanted lichens and mosses.

This study identified specific emission sources of atmospheric pollution in the vicinity of two secondary iron and steel smelting factories in Osun state, southwestern Nigeria, using transplanted biomonitors. A total of 120 biomonitors consisting of lichen and moss were grown under a controlled environment and later transplanted to the surroundings of each factory for monitoring of air pollutants for 3 months in both wet and dry seasons. The elemental contents (K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb and Sr) of the biomonitors were determined by X-ray florescence (XRF) spectroscopy.

Morpho-physiological characteristics of Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp grown in a controlled environment using effluents from a beverage bottling company.

The use of industrial effluents for agricultural practices due to waste management properties, water scarcity, or cultural belief affects both the physiology and morphology of cultivated crops. This study reports the investigation of the agro-potentiality of the effluents from a beverage bottling company on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) under a controlled environment. This greenhouse experiment was carried out within Obafemi Awolowo University.

Dispersion of gas flaring emissions in the Niger delta: Impact of prevailing meteorological conditions and flare characteristics.

An understanding of the dispersion and level of emissions source of atmospheric pollutants; whether point, area or volume sources, is required to inform policies on air pollution and day-to-day predictions of pollution level. Very few studies have carried out simulations of the dispersion pattern and ground-level concentration of pollutants emitted from real-world gas flares. The limited availability of official data on gas flares from the oil and gas industries makes accurate dispersion calculations difficult.

Gas flaring and resultant air pollution: A review focusing on black carbon.

Gas flaring is a prominent source of VOCs, CO, CO2, SO2, PAH, NOX and soot (black carbon), all of which are important pollutants which interact, directly and indirectly, in the Earth's climatic processes. Globally, over 130 billion cubic metres of gas are flared annually. We review the contribution of gas flaring to air pollution on local, regional and global scales, with special emphasis on black carbon (BC, "soot").

Characterization and source identification of airborne particulate loadings at receptor site-classes of Lagos Mega-City, Nigeria.

Size segregated suspended particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM2.5-10) were collected using Gent low-volume air sampler at four different receptor site-classes in Lagos Mega City, Nigeria.