Spatiotemporal distribution model of air quality parameters within Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO)

Air pollution in cosmopolitan cities is increasingly becoming unprecedented with attendant effects on human and biophysical attributes.

The study was carried out at Federal University of Technology (FUTO) and environs in the southeastern Nigeria. Some ambient air quality parameters (CO, CO2 , NO2 , CH4 and noise) were sampled and measured at seven unique locations (OR, ER, FR, EJ, IM, FM and FJ) with multi sampler devices, using air differential technique during the morning, midday and evening periods.

The average pollutant results show increased concentrations at the different locations when compared to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) than Federal Ministry of Environment (FMEnv) thresholds (FMEnv>CO2 <OSHA; FMEnv>NO2 <OSHA; FMEnv>CH4<OSHA). However, concentrations of CO and Noise in FR and FJ were relatively higher than concentrations observed in other locations (CO: FR [6.4 mg/m3 ] and FJ [4.2 mg/m3 ]; Noise: FR [96.8 dB] and FJ [95.7 mg/m3 ]) respectively.

The significant increase could be attributed to continuous vehicular emissions and presence of make-shift activities in these locations. However, predictive model suggests that given the meteorological conditions and perceived anthropogenic activities over time, OSHA threshold could be evidently compromised.