Air Pollution in Soot Ridden Port Harcourt City
Port Harcourt is a city in the south-south region of Nigeria. It is located in the famous Niger Delta region renowned with the abundant of crude oil.With the concentration of oil and gas industries in the region.it is a given that the region will be affected by all forms of pollution.However, in recent times, the effects of this air pollution is being felt keenly by the residents of the riverine area because of the increased level of particulate matter (soot) being released into the atmosphere.For sometimes now, the inhabitants of the city has been witnessing the occurrence of black soot in their environment and which as it is the norm, the government has been largely ineffectual in dealing adequately with the situation.
Black soot is a form of particulate matter derived from the incomplete combustion of wood, coal, oil, tire etc. It can also occur from the burning of fuels, diesel engine exhausts, industrial engines exhausts, house fires, wastes incinerators, and others. Soot is a powdery mass of fine particles It manifests in the form of a thick black particle in the environment which accumulates on surfaces darkening it and sometimes causing discoloration of walls and ceiling(ghosting).These black soot consist of black carbon, acids, chemicals, metals, soils, and dust depending on their origin. The soot is particularly dangerous because of its composition and the microscopic nature of those compositions.
The first noticeable effect of the soot is its economic implication. Soot is a smoke residue on surfaces. The residents of Port Harcourt has been witnessing the alarming rates at which surfaces get contaminated by this soot.The soot accumulates on car surfaces, on windows, on goods, on clothes and almost anything with exposed surfaces.These little occurrences constitute a serious clean up problem on the inhabitants of the oil-riched state.
Health Implications
The soot has been found to contain gases like the sulphur (iv) oxide and Nitrogen(iv) oxide gas.These gases are known for their ability to react with water vapour in the presence of sunlight to form various acidic compounds in the air.These acidic compounds mix with rainfall and fall to earth in the form of acid precipitation.Acid rain affects water quality and causes nutrients imbalances in the ecosystem thereby making agricultural activities more tasking for farmers around the state. Acid rain has been known to cause corrosion of metals and weathering of stone works.
Most health problems caused by soot result from inhalation, though the soot can also get absorbed by the skin and the eye.The small nature of the soot particles(less than 2.5mm) allows it easy passage into the respiratory tract into the alveoli of the lungs and the bloodstream.The accumulation of these particles in the airways can lead to bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema, coronary heart disease etc. In some cases, these pollutants can trigger an allergic response in some individuals and can lead to asthma. Continuous exposure to these soot particles also poses a risk of cancer and premature deaths. This is a serious risk, one the inhabitants of PH city should not take lightly.
A major constituent of soot, black carbon, is the second largest contributor to climate change after CO2.The increasing level of greenhouse gases (CO2,CO, NO2 ,NO, SO2) which are by-product of the oil and gas industries is made known by the occurrence of the soot.The presence of the soot can only mean there is an increase in the release of these gases in the atmosphere.An increase in these gases also translates into the increase in global temperature as a result of the depleting effect of these gases on the ozone layer.The implications of these may not be distinct in our part of the world, but the changes in raining pattern and the more noticeable effect of the radiant nature of the sun are indications that global warming is at our doorstep.
The Way Forward
With the coming of the industrial age, we must accept that innovation in the upstream and downstream sector comes with a price.That price is that pollution will always be a threat as a result of the release of pollutants either during the process or product innovation. A pollutant is defined as a substance present in greater than natural concentration, as a result of human activity and has a detrimental effect on the health of the ecosystems.What we can do is to reduce the release of these pollutants into the environment.This we can do by controlling the release these substances from the source by enforcing environmental laws on industries to reduce the release of pollutants into the environment. The industries can also be mandated by law to carry out: End of pipe treatment, improve operating efficiency of equipment and increase the purity of raw materials.The ministry of environment and environmental officers in PH city should ensure proper environmental impact assessment and environmental risk assessment are carried out by companies before they begin operation.The existing industries should also be routinely assessed to ensure they comply with the World Health Organization guidelines on the minimum level of soot in the environment.
To the inhabitants of Port Harcourt city, the importance of personal and domestic hygiene is now more important than ever. It is advisable that they try as much as possible to remove the soot from surfaces, wear protective masks encourage the urge to cough, take bath as often as possible and ensure adequate ventilation for their homes.
For those that can afford it, they can make use of baghouse filters, wet scrubber and electrostatic precipitators to improve indoor air quality especially after a fire and smoke damage.
The threat of pollution to our environment is real, we must all work hard to ensure a clean ecosystem where we will not just live or survive but thrive and live in sync with our environment.
This article is written by Azeez Ogundiran. This article was written in a bid to create awareness and sensiize the public about the dangers of air pollution.
