Air Quality Assessment in the Vicinity of Quarry Site

Abstract

This study investigated air pollutants associated with quarry activities and the variation of the pollutants with distance from the drilling section. Air pollutants were monitored with the use of automatic air samplers with the exception of ozone (O 3 ) which was determined by iodometric method. All sampling were replicated three times. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and correlation. Means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range test. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide were detected while sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and O 3 were below detection limit. Suspended particulates were the most significant of the air pollutants analyzed. Crushing section had the highest concentrations of PM 10 and PM 2.5 with 0.231 ± 0.018 mg/m 3 and 0.130 ± 0.010 mg/m 3 respectively followed by the drilling section with 0.074 ± 0.066 mg/m 3 for PM10 and 0.065 ± 0.045 mg/m3 for PM 2.5 . The mean levels of the total suspended particulate decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with distance from the crushing section to Jagun village.

Dust formed during drilling in natural stone quarries

“…They observed significant dust retention within few tens of meters, which was perceived also in this study. Bada et al ( 2013 ) reports mass concentration in the same order of magnitude for TSP and PM as measured in this study. Degan et al ( 2013 ), Junttila et al ( 1996 ) and Olusegun et al ( 2009 ) measured approximately ten or more times higher and Golbabaei et al ( 2004 ) approximately 100-200 times higher concentrations compared to this study.…”

“…TSP concentrations were few hundreds of micrograms per cubic meter and PM concentrations were few tens of micrograms per cubic meter in both studies. PM concentrations had more variation being approximately 70 µg/m in study reported by Bada et al ( 2013 ) and varying between 60 and 670 µg/m in study reported by Sairanen ( 2014 ). However, the ambient concentrations measured in Nigeria were significantly higher (approximately ten times or more) than ambient concentrations in Finland even though sampling distance were significantly higher (5000 m) in the study conducted in Nigeria compared to the ambient sampling distances (few tens of meters) in the study conducted in Finland.…”

“…The measurements made in granite quarries in Nigeria (Bada et al 2013 ) and in Finland (Sairanen 2014 ) gained dust mass concentrations same order of magnitude near the drilling. TSP concentrations were few hundreds of micrograms per cubic meter and PM concentrations were few tens of micrograms per cubic meter in both studies.…”

“…The knowledge of dust emissions from quarries is limited and consistency of results is low. A number of studies (Organiscak and Page 1995 ;Junttila et al 1996 ;Aatos 2003 ;Golbabaei et al 2004 ;Organiscak and Page 2005 ;Olusegun et al 2009 ;Bada et al 2013 ;Degan et al 2013 ;Sairanen 2014 ) have emphasis on dust formation during the drilling. Dust concentrations from drilling varied between approximately 100 -110,000 µg TSP/m (Sairanen et al 2016(Sairanen et al 2017.…”

Geospatial and Geostatistical Analyses of Particulate Matter (PM₁₀) Concentrations in Imo State, Nigeria

“…The result indicates that elevated values of PM 10 were recorded in week 4, 9, 10, 11 and12 at Okigwe. This location in Imo States is known for stone mining and quarry activities within and around the area, which could contribute significantly to the concentration of particulate matter in this area [50]. Also, it could be observed that elevated level of PM 10 was recorded in Egbema.…”