EFFECTIVENESS OF VEGETATION IN REDUCING SOME TRAFFIC EMISSION POLLUTANTS IN BENIN CITY, EDO STATE, NIGERIA
EFFECTIVENESS OF VEGETATION IN REDUCING SOME TRAFFIC EMISSION POLLUTANTS IN BENIN CITY, EDO STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2014-08
Authors
AIGBOBO, Eseuwa Naomi
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Abstract
This study investigated vegetation effectiveness in bringing to the barest minimum
some traffic emission pollutants in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The following were
the set objectives: to examine the emission levels of CO, SO2, and NO2 pollutant in the
sample points where there are no vegetation, to assess the emission levels of CO, SO2,
and NO2 in the sample points where there are vegetation and to compare the emission
levels of these gases at the vegetated sample points with that of the non vegetated
sample points for any variable difference. Four sampling locations were selected, and
classified as vegetative and non-vegetative sampling locations. Plymonth Road and
Sapele Road A were classified under non-vegetative sampling locations and Reservation
Road and Sapele Road B were classified under vegetative sampling locations. The
sampling locations were geo-referenced using high sensitivity etrex garmin GPS. Data
for the study was derived from the measurement of the concentration of these traffic
emission pollutants with the aeroqual air quality kit. Data was analyzed descriptively
using bar chart, mean, and standard deviations. Independent t-test was also used to
verify if there was significant difference between vegetation and air quality at the
sampling points at 0.05 level of significance. The results obtained revealed variations in
the amount of CO, SO2 and NO2 in the study area. Sampling locations with no
vegetation showed a higher concentration of these traffic emission pollutants than the
sampling locations with vegetation cover. Plymonth Road has an average concentration
of 11.11401ppm for CO and 0.11335ppm for NO2 while Sapele Road A has an average
concentration of 0.145665ppm for SO2 and these were the highest. Sapele A has the
least average concentration of 2.195825ppm for CO and 0.007685ppm for NO2 and
Reservation Road has the least average concentration of 0.0795ppm for SO2. Sapele
Road B has a constant average concentration of 0.00ppm for CO, 0.13ppm for SO2 and
0.001ppm for NO2 at all times measured. Result also indicated a significant difference
in the levels of the air pollutants (CO, SO2 and NO2) between the vegetated sampling
locations and the non-vegetated locations. The study concludes that the presence of
vegetation along urban roads reduces the concentration of these traffic emission
pollutants present in the atmosphere, thus improving the air quality of the locality.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF
MASTERS DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY,
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA,
NIGERIA.
Keywords
VEGETATION,, REDUCING, TRAFFIC EMISSION, POLLUTANTS, EDO STATE, NIGERIA.