Abstract
The dispersion of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emitted from gas flaring stacks affect the environment and human health negatively. This study assessed the spatial and temporal patterns of NO2 emissions from gas flaring stations in the Niger Delta between January 2017 and December 2018. NO2 was measured using Aeroqual gas monitor. The data of NO2 concentrations were analysed using SPSS for Windows. Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model was adopted to predict the dispersion of NO2 from the gas flaring stations. Results revealed that flare stations in Rivers State emitted the highest concentrations of NO2 varying from 0.029 to 0.036 mg/m3 in 2017 and 0.031 to 0.034 mg/m3 in 2018. NO2 emissions from each gas flaring station were generally higher in 2017 than 2018 by about 0.002 mg/m3. There was an increase in the concentration of NO2 by about 0.002 mg/m3 in the wet season over the dry season. Increase in temperature might have led to increase in NO2 concentrations (r = 0.047–0.377). An inverse relationship was recorded between relative humidity and NO2 (r = − 0.005 to − 0.412). Wind speed showed negative correlations with NO2 in the dry season (r = − 0.148 to − 0.139) and weak positive correlation (r = 0.104–0.074) in the wet season. Many states in Nigeria were identified as the receptors of the dispersed NO2 from the gas flaring stations. The study concluded that people susceptible to respiratory ailments should protect themselves from the impacts of NO2 pollution in the Niger Delta.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdo T, EL-Shimy M (2013) Estimating the global solar radiation for solar energy projects—Egypt case study. Int J Sustain Energy 32:682–712. https://doi.org/10.1080/14786451.2013.822872
Abdullahi S, Ayegba MA, Adejoh J (2017) Impacts of relative humidity and mean air temperature on global solar radiations of Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. Int J Sci Res Publ 7(2):315–319
Australia Department of the Environment & Energy (ADEE) (2005) Nitrogen dioxide (NO2). https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/publications/factsheet-nitrogen-dioxide-no2. Accessed on 6 Jun 2019
Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) (2014) Tropospheric ozone. https://ccacoalition.org/en/slcps/tropospheric-ozone. Accessed on 17 Jun 2019
Galytska E, Rozanov AM, Chipperfield PS, Dhomse S, Weber M, Arosio C, Feng W, Burrows JP (2019) Dynamically controlled ozone decline in the tropical mid-stratosphere observed by SCIAMACHY. Atmos Chem Phys 19:767–783. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-767-2019
Gorai AK, Tuluri F, Tchounwou PB, Ambinakudige S (2015) Influence of local meteorology and NO2 conditions on ground-level ozone concentrations in the Eastern Part of Texas, USA. Air Qual Atmos Health 8(1):81–96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-014-0276-5
Huang K, Fu JS (2016) A global gas flaring black carbon emission rate dataset from 1994 to 2012. Sci Data 3:160104. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.104
Ismail OS, Umukoro GE (2012) Global impact of gas flaring. Energy Power Eng 4(4):13. https://doi.org/10.4236/epe.2012.44039
Jacobson MZ (2005) Fundamentals of atmospheric modeling, 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press, New York
Lee SY, Chang YS, Cho SH (2013) Allergic diseases and air pollution. Asia Pac Allergy 3(3):145–154. https://doi.org/10.5415/apallergy.2013.3.3.145
Liu SK, Cai S, Chen Y, Xiao B, Chen P, Xiang XD (2016) The effect of pollutional haze on pulmonary function. J Thorac Dis 8(1):E41–E56. https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2016.01.18
Okhumode HY (2018) Particle (Soot) pollution in Port Harcourt Rivers State, Nigeria—double air pollution burden? Understanding and tackling potential environmental public health impacts. Environments 5(1):2. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments5010002
Perera F (2017) Pollution from fossil-fuel combustion is the leading environmental threat to global pediatric health and equity: solutions exist. Int J Environ Res Public Health 15(1):16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15010016
Portmann RW, Daniel JS, Ravishankara AR (2012) Stratospheric ozone depletion due to nitrous oxide: influences of other gases. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 367(1593):1256–1264. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2011.0377
Richmond-Bryant J, Owen RC, Graham S, Snyder M, McDow S, Oakes M, Kimbrough S (2017) Estimation of on-road NO2 concentrations, NO2/NOX ratios, and related roadway gradients from near-road monitoring data. Air Qual Atmos Health 10(5):611–625. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-016-0455-7
Sharma SB, Suman J, Khirwadkar P, Kulkarni S (2013) The effects of air pollution on the environment and human health. Indian J Res Pharm Biotechnol 1(3):391–396
Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) (2006) Environmental impact assessment (EIA) of Rumuekpe (OML 22) and Etelebou (OML 28) 3D Seismic Survey. https://www.shell.com.ng/content/dam/shellnew/local/country/nga/downloads/pdf/rumuekpe-eia-report.pdf. Accessed on 8 Jun 2019
Stein AF, Draxler RR, Rolph GD, Stunder BJB, Cohen MD, Ngan F (2015) NOAA’s HYSPLIT atmospheric transport and dispersion modeling system. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 96:2059–2077. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00110.1
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (2016) Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution. https://www.epa.gov/no2-pollution/basic-information-about-no2. Accessed on 6 Jun 2019
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (2018) Ground-level ozone pollution. https://www.epa.gov/ground-level-ozone-pollution/ground-level-ozone-basics. Accessed on 8 Jun 2019
Wanjala GW, Onyango AN, Abuga D, Onyango C, Makayoto M (2018) Evidence for the formation of ozone (or Ozone-Like Oxidants) by the reaction of singlet oxygen with amino acids. J Chem 2018:6. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/6145180
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the NOAA Air Resources Laboratory (ARL) for the provision of the HYSPLIT transport and dispersion model used in this publication.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nwosisi, M.C., Oguntoke, O. & Taiwo, A.M. Dispersion and emission patterns of NO2 from gas flaring stations in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Model. Earth Syst. Environ. 6, 73–84 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-019-00658-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-019-00658-z