Comparison Of Ambient Air Aerosols Level In Abakaliki Urban, Ebonyi State Nigeria

This study investigated the total suspended particulate (TSP) matter load and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter 2.5 to 10 micrometers (PM10) in ten areas in Abakaliki urban, Ebonyi State Nigeria, during dry and wet seasons from December, 2008 to September, 2009 using photometric laser-based particle counter instrument. The results showed that the seasonal mean varied in the range of 25.06 ± 5.42 to 89.06 ± 6.05µgm-3 for the TSP in the dry season and 5.94 ± 1.61 to 35.38 ± 5.43µgm-3 for the wet season. The seasonal mean of (PM10) ranged from 8.56 ±2.56 to 73.06 ± 2.79 and 3.69 ± 1.14 to 16.50 ± 5.15 µgm-3 for the dry and wet seasons respectively. The annual mean of TSP in all the locations were within World Health Organization (WHO) annual guideline limit of 230-250µgm-3 whereas PM10 annual mean levels in three locations (Presco Junction, Spera Indeo Junction and Abakaliki Rice Mill) exceeded the US annual National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 20 µgm-3 and this calls for concern in view of the human health risk associated with particulate matter pollution