Assessment of Atmospheric Particulates in Port Harcourt And Omuku Towns in Rivers State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Port Harcourt and Omoku are two densely populated towns in Rivers State. This may not be unconnected with the presence of such attractive features as tertiary institutions, oil and gas companies, very large daily markets, free electric power supply (as in Omoku) among others. In the light of the above, it is expected that industrial effluents, domestic waste discharge, automobile emissions, gas flaring etc generate atmospheric aerosols which dissolve to form particulates as pollutants, hence, the need for this research work. The levels of atmospheric particulates in rainwater samples collected from Port Harcourt and Omoku towns in the months of April to October 2014 were determined using different analytical techniques. pH and Temperature were investigated using pH meter and standard mercury in glass thermometer respectively. Colour, turbidity, TDS, TSS and Electrical conductivity were determined using HANNA DR 2010 spectrophotometer. Alkalinity, total hardness, calcium hardness and magnesium hardness were determined by titrimetric method. Nitrate, sulphate and phosphate were determined by spectrophotometric method using various reagent powder pillows while Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) was used to determine the levels of iron, lead, manganese, chromium, copper and zinc. The results obtained were within WHO permissible limits. The calculated r-value for rainwater samples of Port Harcourt and Omoku was 0.990 while the calculated pollution index for Port Harcourt rainwater was 0.532 and that of Omoku was 0.522. Levels of parameters decreased as frequency of rainfall increased, while levels of parameters increased when frequency of rainfall decreased. The results indicated that, the pollution index of Port Harcourt and Omoku rainwater were less than the critical value of one (1). The calculated r-value of 0.990 indicated a significant relationship between the two sets of values of atmospheric particulates from Port Harcourt and Omoku. The result also showed that frequency of rainfall affects air quality.