In 2004, through the assistance of the World Bank, air quality monitoring equipment was supplied from the United Kingdom and United States to Edo State Ministry of Environment in Nigeria. Amongst the air pollution assessment tools supplied, are a portable SKC 506673 high volume Gravimetric Sampler and a light-scattering method -Haz-Dust ™ 10 µm particulate monitor -for airborne particles. In this preliminary study, the two samplers were co-located at different monitoring sites in Benin City to assess spatial distribution of airborne particles and also to ascertain the collection efficiencies of these monitoring tools. Preliminary results available indicate the non-compliance of the TSP (Total Suspended Particulates) load obtained at the created monitoring sites with the regulatory limits of 150-230 µgm −3 and 250 µgm −3 set by WHO (World Health Organization) and FMENV (Federal Ministry of Environment) respectively. Differences in the collection efficiencies of these samplers were observed with a coefficient of determination (R 2 ) value of 0.6289 obtained. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed different degrees of correlation between the monitoring sites. Two principal components were identified for the particulate matter distribution by the combined methods, which were further confirmed by the hierarchical cluster analysis. Vehicular exhaust, industrial emissions, combustion of solid wastes, dusts from roads and harmattan dust were identified as the major particulate matter sources at these market environments.
The concentration, mobility, bioavailability, distribution and associations of two essential micronutrient elements (copper and zinc) to the oil palm in wetland soils of the Niger delta region of Nigeria was assessed by means of chemical fractionation analysis. The water soluble and plant available fractions were introduced into the sequential extraction scheme. Also assessed were the bioaccumulation (concentration and distribution) of these metals in the leaves and fruits of the oil palm of various ages found around the soil profiles. Copper was obtained more in the amorphous Fe -oxide fraction (151.05 mg kg), but evenly distributed in the exchangeable component (16.16%) with a maximum value of 126.6 mg kg À 1 . The water soluble and plant available fractions had 16.15 and 7.54% distribution of Cu respectively. Zinc had 2.35 and 30.42% distribution in the water soluble and plant available fractions respectively. The lowest mean amount of Cu (1.33 mg kg À 1 ) was determined in the leaves of palms of ages 15 -32 years. Palms greater than 60 years had the highest mean concentration of copper (3.91 mg kg À 1 ) in the leaves while the endosperm (kernel) of palms between 2 and 10 years had concentration of 9.07 mg kg À 1 . The fibrous oily mesocarp had the highest amount (16.78 mg kg À 1 ) of copper in the older palms (460 years). Similarly, Zn was dominant in the older palms with a mean concentration of 187.14 mg kg À 1 obtained in the endosperm (kernel). The bioaccumulation pattern of both metals by the palms irrespective of age and the fractionation analysis revealed sufficient bioavailable and reserved amounts of Zn and Cu in the wetland soils.
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