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Particulates and carbon monoxide pollution on production floor of steel recycling plant
Author(s) -
Okedere Oyetunji Babatunde,
Fakinle Bamidele Sunday,
Ajala Olawale Elijah
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
environmental quality management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.249
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 1520-6483
pISSN - 1088-1913
DOI - 10.1002/tqem.21640
Subject(s) - particulates , environmental science , pollutant , environmental chemistry , carbon monoxide , pollution , air pollution , christian ministry , charcoal , diesel fuel , environmental engineering , waste management , chemistry , metallurgy , materials science , ecology , biochemistry , philosophy , theology , organic chemistry , engineering , biology , catalysis
Abstract For this study, particulates or particulate matter (PM) and carbon monoxide (CO) levels were monitored at different sections on the production floor of a scrap metal recycling factory. A Met‐One GT331 dust monitor and A Toxi‐Rae gas monitor were used to measure PM and CO concentrations, respectively. The 24‐hr averaging period concentrations of particulate matter having diameters of 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM 2.5 ), particulate matter having diameters of 10 microns or less in diameter (PM 10 ), and total suspended particulates (TSP) within the plant ranged between 8.3 and 50.4 μg/m 3 , 12.0 and 151.3 μg/m 3 , and 30.0 and 285.0 μg/m 3 , respectively, while the maximum 8‐hr concentration of CO within the plant was 20.5 parts per million (ppm). The United States’ Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) limits for PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and CO were exceeded only in the area around the furnace. Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Environment (FMENV), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Bank statutory limit for TSP were also exceeded in the area around the furnace. Toxicity potentials (TP) of the investigated pollutants were greater than 1.0 around the furnace, indicating that work spaces in proximity to the furnace could expose workers to adverse health conditions.