Exposure To Traffic-Related Air Pollution: A Public Health Concern?

Ajayi, Samuel A.; Adams, Charles A.; Dumedah, Gift; Ababio-Donkor, Augustus · 2023 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1051/e3sconf/202341805004

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Summary

This study investigates the ambient air quality and associated public health implications of traffic-related air pollution in Lagos, Nigeria, a rapidly growing megacity with severe congestion and high vehicle density. The research is motivated by the lack of reliable estimates regarding the impact of ambient air pollution on public health in Sub-Saharan Africa, despite global evidence linking particulate matter and other pollutants to millions of premature deaths annually. The study specifically aims to assess pollutant concentrations near selected roadways and evaluate the health perceptions of residents living or working in these high-exposure zones. The methodology involved selecting five representative road corridors in Lagos based on traffic volume, vehicle composition, and congestion levels. Traffic mobility measures, including volume and composition, were collected using pneumatic tubes over a 12-week period, focusing on morning and evening rush hours as well as non-rush periods. Vehicle emissions were monitored at five sampling points along these routes using portable handheld gas analyzers and particle counters to measure carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) every 15 minutes over 24-hour cycles for seven days. Ambient air quality was assessed by comparing these concentrations against World Health Organization and EPA Victoria standards to determine Air Quality Index (AQI) categories. Additionally, a public health impact assessment was conducted at the Computer Village intersection, where structured questionnaires were administered to 355 roadside residents, traders, and workers to gather data on demographic characteristics, proximity to roads, and reported health symptoms. The results indicate a statistically significant positive correlation between traffic volume and pollutant concentrations. Air quality across all studied routes was hazardous: CO levels were classified as "Severe," PM2.5 levels as "Very Poor," and PM10 levels as "Poor" to "Moderately Polluted." Specifically, PM2.5 concentrations ranged from 182.67 to 197.79 µg/m³, exceeding safe thresholds, while CO levels reached up to 64 ppm. The health survey revealed that 84.5% of respondents lived or worked within 50 meters of the road corridors, with 53% spending more than eight hours daily in these areas. Respondents reported frequent cardiorespiratory symptoms, including chest pain, coughing, breathing difficulties, and fatigue. Shop owners and office staff constituted the largest groups of respondents, with women and children particularly perceiving health impacts linked to vehicle emissions. The study concludes that traffic-related air pollution in Lagos poses a severe public health risk, exacerbated by an aging vehicle fleet lacking emission reduction technology and poor fuel quality. The findings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive air pollution control, real-time monitoring of emission hotspots, and policies to reduce congestion and relocate economic activities away from high-exposure road corridors. The authors emphasize that long-term health impact assessments are crucial for understanding the resilience of urban populations to motorization and for guiding effective mitigation strategies in developing urban centers.

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• traffic density