Criteria air pollutants on Bonny Island: gas flaring - a contributor

Bonny Island is a typical oil and gas-producing community in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, where gas flaring has been practiced for decades. In this study, the concentrations of five criteria air pollutants and hydrogen sulfide were measured at six locations on the island using air quality test kits, and the results were compared with the World Health Organization’s permissible standards. The air pollutants considered were hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ground-level ozone (O3), and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10). The study revealed that SO2 levels on the island were low, remaining below the acceptable limit of 40 µg/m³. Although the atmospheric concentrations of CO were within the permissible standard of 4 mg/m³, they were found to be close to the upper limit in most areas. However, at nearly all the locations, the levels of ground-level O3, H₂S, NO₂, PM2.5 and PM10 exceeded the permissible limits. In the case of NO2, the situation was particularly severe in Finima, likely due to the concentration of industrial activities in that area. The elevated levels of these criteria pollutants are primarily attributed to gas flaring, which poses serious health risks and environmental consequences. It is therefore recommended that effective measures be implemented to reduce the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere, and that concerted efforts be made to halt gas flaring in oil and gas-producing communities in the Niger Delta to mitigate air pollution.