Journal of Geography and Earth Sciences

Air Quality Assessment around a Horizontal Gas Flaring Site in Izombe, Southeastern Nigeria
Nwagbara, M. O; Onwudiwe, H. T.

Abstract
The extent to which air quality varies around gas flaring sites in Nigeria has not received the deserved attention, especially as some of the sites are located close to residential areas, farmlands and rivers/streams. This study assessed air quality around a typical horizontal gas flaring site in Izombe, Southeastern Nigeria. Air quality readings were collected from the study area at 100 m, 200 m, 300 m and 4 km (as control point (K)) away from flare site. The air quality data were analyzed using T-test and mean concentrations of air components were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) and Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) standards. Results obtained from the t-test analysis showed that there was a significant difference between air quality around the flaring site, and air quality at the control point with mean concentrations of 3.10 ppm and 0.57 ppm respectively at 0.05 significance level. Also, the mean concentrations of air components, 2.94, 0.99, 1.92, 0.85, 1.60, and 6.52 ppm for Carbon monoxide (CO), Hydrogen sulphide (H2S), Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and Suspended particulate matter (SPM) respectively were all above the WHO and FEPA standards, except for H2S (1.10 ppm) in FEPA standard. Based on these results, it is concluded here that horizontal gas flaring in Izombe community has lowered the air quality around the flaring site. This portends great danger to residents, homes, farmlands and rivers/streams around it. Therefore, it is recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria should, among other measures, set-up and empower industrial air quality monitoring agency to check-mate the incidence of gas flaring.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jges.v8n1a2