AMBIENT PARTICULATE MATTER CONCENTRATIONS AND ASSOCIATION WITH METEOROLOGICAL PARAMETERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, NIGERIA.

Meteorological conditions play an important role in ambient air pollution by influencing the emissions, transport, formation, and deposition of air pollutants both directly and indirectly. The relationships between meteorological parameters and particulate matter concentrations were investigated in ten (10) randomly selected locations within the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. The particulates (PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10), relative humidity (RH), and temperature were quantified using Dienmern DM106A Air Quality Detector, while the wind speed (WS) was monitored using the Holdpeak 866B digital anemometer respectively for four weeks. The ambient temperature and relative humidity and the concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 obtained in this study were 34.1 to 36.1℃; 62.9 to 38.1%; 0.;8 to 1.9m/s 25.9 and 30.5µg/m3 .and 57.0 to 62.2 µg/m3. The values obtained were all above the recommended allowable limits. There were generally weak associations between air pollutants and meteorological parameters (R=-0.261, - 0.282, and -0.271; p<0.001)). The air quality index assessment revealed that the particulate matter AQI status was primarily unhealthy. The high levels of particulate matter obtained in the study call for the urgent need for awareness of air pollution-related health effects and preventive measures to reduce the concentrations of Particulate matter pollution. within the University