Geo-Spatial Assessment of Vehicular Air Pollution Across Different Times of the Day in Minna Town, Niger State, Nigeria
Abstract
Air pollution in vehicles is one of the emerging problems of environmental concern and general health issues in fast urbanizing cities in Nigeria, but its spatial and temporal patterns are still not well understood within secondary urban centers like Minna, Niger State. The paper used a geo-spatial analysis of vehicular air pollution in Minna Town at various times of the day by using ground-level air quality measurements that had been georeferenced with GPS and analyzed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to graphically depict the patterns of pollutant distribution across the urban road network. The primary pollutants that were monitored were carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and sulphur dioxide at the chosen traffic hotspots at different times of the day, in the morning, midday, and evening. During the afternoon period (1:002:00 pm), the pollution became worse in most of the parameters. PM2.5 existed at its highest level of 710 μg/m3 on Minna -Bida Road and 443 μg/m3 on Top Medical Road, with PM10 at 623 μg/m3 in Eastern Bypass. Later (1:00 2:00 pm), the pollution increased in a range of parameters. PM2.5 was highest at 710 μg/m3 at Minna-Bida Road and 443 μg/m3 at Top Medical Road, with PM10 at 623 μg/m3 at Eastern Bypass. In the evening (5:006:00 pm), a lot of pollutants were even higher. The maximum PM2.5 of 410 μg/m3, PM10 of 451 μg/m3, and the highest score of CO2 of 9999 μg/m3 at Chanchaga Mekunkele Road. Findings indicated that there existed a considerable amount of spatial and temporal variation in pollution levels, with the highest levels being observed in the large intersections and motor parks during the rush hours. The paper suggests specific traffic control measures, stiffer emission policies, and ongoing geo-spatial surveillance as the means of ensuring public health in Minna and other similar cities in Nigeria.