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.
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