Assessment of Air Quality Around Gbaran – Ubie Gas Processing Plant, yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Southern Nigeria

This study determined the air quality status around Gbaran and its environs as a result of gas processing taking place in the area. The study characterized and quantified air pollutants emitted into the surrounding at two different seasons and also determined the seasonal variations in the concentration levels of gases in the air sample with a view to evaluating the air quality implication of the gas processing plant. Digital hand - held gas Analyzers were used to monitor air pollutants including; Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSPM), Sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), while Kestrel Model NO. 4500 pocket weather tracker was used to monitor the meteorological parameters such as: ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed. The direction of wind was also detected using wind vane. The results of the study showed dominant wind direction during the wet season within the SE and the NE direction while during the dry season it was NW and NE. The maximum wind speed during the wet and dry seasons was 3.75m/s and 2.80m/s respectively. The Relative humidity values in wet season ranged between 82.40% - 98.80% while in the dry were between 37.15% - 74.95%. Temperature in the wet season ranged between 24.80 o C – 30.40 o C while during the dry season it was between 31.05 o C– 43.20 o C. The mean concentration of TSPM during the wet season ranged between 16.00µg/m 3 –2,423.50µg/m 3 while in the dry, it was between 508.00 µg/m 3 – 3,800.00 µg/m 3 . That of SO 2 during the wet season ranged between 0 ppm – 1 ppm while in the dry season it was between 0.50 ppm – 1.50 ppm. CO was emitted in the range of 0 .50ppm – 6.00 ppm in the wet season and 0.87 ppm – 2.00 ppm in the dry season. For VOCs, its mean concentration during the wet season ranged between 0.65 ppm – 3.25 ppm and 3.15 ppm – 10.00 ppm during the dry season. The study observed that the mean concentrations of gaseous pollutants in the dry season were higher than the wet season and were also found to exceed the limits recommended by Federal Ministry of Environment, except CO that was lower and below the set limit. The study therefore concluded that the Gbaran - Ubie gas processing plant is a source of air pollution in the area. Keywords: Assessment, Air quality, Gas processing plant, Gbaran – Ubie, Obunagha, Yenagoa DOI : 10.7176/JEES/9-7-03 Publication date :July 31 st 2019