QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF INHALABLE PARTICULATE MATTER POLLUTION RESULTING FROM QUARRY ACTIVITIES
QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF INHALABLE PARTICULATE MATTER POLLUTION RESULTING FROM QUARRY ACTIVITIES
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2000-08
Authors
OKUNADE, IBRAHIM OLUSOLA
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Quantitative assessment of pollution from the quarry industry was based on
sampling and analysis of PM10 component of the particulate matter released into
the atmosphere during rock crushing activities at the Quarry industry. The
investigation was restricted to PM10 particulate matter because of their ability to
be transported over long distances and their lung penetration and deposition
characteristics. Thus a low volume air sampler was modified and converted to a i
stacked filter unit (SFU) aerosol sampler capable of collecting PM10 particulate
matter and further fractionating it to coarse (2-1 Opm) and fine (< 2pm)
components. The accuracy of the sampler was tested by evaluating its
characteristics in relation to criteria for accurate sampling established by Davies
and Agarwal & Liu. The performance of the sampler was in agreement with these
criteria. As a result of the small sample loading of the SFU, Total Reflection X-ray
Fluorescence capable of analyzing nanogram amount of elements in a sample
was used for analysis. The analysis was preceded by such initial steps as
emphasizing grazing incidence angle through proper adjustment of the principal
components of the TXRF, energy and sensitivity calibration of the TXRF
spectrometer, simple extraction of PM10 particulate matter greatly aided by the
surface deposition property of membrane filters and internal standardization. Thus
up to 12 elements were measured simultaneously in the PM10 samples collected
from various quarry activities. The multi-element multi-sample data showed that
PM10 emission from the quarry industry is dominated by coarse fractions and
application of wetting agents greatly reduced PM10 emission. The health impact
of PM10 particulate matter on workers at the quarry industry was also assessed
by calculating the regional deposition of the measured constituent elements in the
human respiratory tract using EPA models. The results obtained suggests
deposition fraction ranging from 0.37 to 0.68 for elements Pb, Zn, Cu, Fe, Ca, K,
Si, Al. Furthermore, the level of air pollution in the neigbouring environment of the
quarry industry was investigated by calculating the source strengths of the various
mechanized crushing plants using the multi-sample data along with meteorological
factors as input in the Gaussian plume dispersion model. The various source i
strengths calculated were used in conjunction with the dose response values from
the literature to determine the mortality and morbidity estimates for PM10
particulate matter using the uniform world model and hence determine the health
impact of quarry industry on the environment
Description
A thesis submitted to the Postgraduate School of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,
Nigeria, in fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy in Physics.
Department of Physics,
Faculty of Science,
Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria, Nigeria.
AUGUST, 2000
Keywords
QUANTITATIVE,, ASSESSMENT,, INHALABLE,, PARTICULATE,, POLLUTION,, RESULTING,, QUARRY ACTIVITIES