article · International Journal of Atmospheric Sciences
Field research carried out across Benin City, Nigeria, evaluated the presence of ambient volatile organic compounds and their capacity to generate photochemical ozone. Air samples were gathered at breathing height across nine urban locations with differing air quality, alongside one background site, spanning May 2010 to June 2011 to cover wet and dry seasons. Analysis of the samples identified sixteen individual compounds, led in concentration by toluene, mp-xylene, ethylbenzene, benzene, and n-butane. Using maximum incremental reactivity coefficients and reaction rate constants, the study determined that the urban atmosphere holds an overall ozone creation potential of 281.1 micrograms per cubic metre. Alkanes contributed 58 percent of the total propyl-equivalent concentration. Overall, the ozone formation potential was three times lower than levels recorded in Foshan, China, highlighting a need for regular emission tracking to curb future ozone exposure.
Volatile organic compounds directly influence ground-level ozone formation, a key contributor to urban smog and human respiratory risks. By identifying the primary chemical contributors and measuring ozone formation potential at breathing height, this study provides the baseline environmental evidence needed to design targeted emission controls and safeguard public health in growing urban centres.
This research represents early-stage environmental baseline data rather than an applied commercial product. It could inform environmental protection agencies, urban planners, and municipal monitoring services seeking to design regional air quality strategies or source-tracking programmes. The abstract does not indicate a direct pathway to commercialisation or immediate industrial application.
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The relative contribution of individual volatile organic compounds (VOC) species to photochemical ozone formation depends on their atmospheric concentrations and their oxidation mechanism. In an attempt to evaluate the ozone creation potential of ambient VOCs captured in an urban settlement of Benin City, Nigeria, the VOCs concentrations data collected in field studies at nine measurement sites of different air quality in the city and a background site were analysed. Air samples were collected at human breathing height of 1.5 meters from ground level at each site. Active sampling method using the low volume sampling pump (Acuro, Drager, Lubeck, Germany) was used to drawn the air into the tube; the absorbent was Chromosorb 106. The sampling periods were between May 2010 and June 2011; the period covered both dry and wet seasons. The adsorbed gases were desorbed using solvent extraction method with carbon disulphide as solvent. The extracted solutions were analyzed with gas chromatography and mass spectrometer. The observed concentrations of individual VOCs were determined and maximum incremental reactivity (MIR) coefficient along with rate constants of VOC-OH reactions were applied to assess the ozone formation potential of individual VOC in the ambient atmosphere. Sixteen VOC species were observed at various sites with mixing height in decreasing order: toluene (5.82), mp-xylene (3.58), ethylbenzene (3.46), benzene (2.29), and n-butane (0.84). The ozone formation potential study revealed that, ranking by propyl-equivalent, the alkanes included in this study account for 58% of the total propyl-equivalent concentration. The total ozone creation potential in the atmosphere of the Benin City was calculated to be 281.1 µ g/m 3 . A comparison of total ozone formation potential (OFP) in our study with results obtained from other cities of the world revealed that the total concentration of ozone production in our study is threefold lower than the values reported in China city of Foshan. It is suggested that the sources of this pollutant need to be monitored in the area as a way of curtailing the impact of ozone in this city.
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DOI: 10.1155/2014/764948
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