Air pollution can be detected, measured and analyzed using a number of methods. First of all, in order to detect gases, a sample of air can be analyzed chemically. Electronic devices make rapid and continuous monitoring. The degree of visibility is another indication of pollution.
The Ringelmann chart can be easily used to determine the quantity of smoke in the air. This chart bears a series of numbered shadings ranging from zero which is white, then to five, which is black. An observer simply matches the smokiness of the sky with the shading on the chart that corresponds most closely to what he sees. Major areas around the world have established monitoring systems that provide readings of pollution levels at various places within these cities.
A global network of monitoring stations has thus been established to this effect. This has made extensive use of ground weather stations, earth satellites, computing, the internet and social media to help identify potentially dangerous pollution situations on local levels. But global air pollution is still not very well understood especially in Africa. Data fragmentary and accurate knowledge of large scale effects of air pollution is still sketchy. Still in many countries in Africa and developing countries in Asia, there are no records of combating air pollution. Most times, the governments of these developing countries do not really consider this to be a menace to public and societal health.
The seriousness of air pollution and its effects on human lives has somewhat been trivialized especially in a country like Nigeria. It is not even considered dangerous or seen as a constituted problem. Hence, there’s been a rise in the level of complacency towards an ever growing problem which has caused and is still causing steadily the slow deaths of members of such countries.
In Nigeria, for instance, the acute rise in urbanization, which is the agglomeration of people in space, that is to say clustered densely populated areas, has given rise to high levels of importation Of second hand or fairly used cars or automobiles. And many of these cars which have been discarded by the actual owners from developed countries in the European Union(EU) and the United States are the ones that grace the Nigerian roads. When they are put to work on these roads, the release of exhaust fumes from old engines of these already used cars befools the atmosphere. Also fumes from the commonly used tricycles and motor bikes used for commercial transportation all contribute immensely to the pollution of air in the country.
Furthermore, the indiscriminate burning of forests and bushes, the burning of refuse in open dumps, and the inadequate disposal methods of solid and liquid wastes coupled with heavy land pollution has lead to increased levels of polluted air and reduced drastically the quality of air that we breathe. Tuberculosis, for instance, between the year 2012-2015, there was a rise in cases of this respiratory disease in cities like Warri, in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
Also, the pollution from electric power generating plants is also on the rise. As a result of the energy problem in the country, the instability of electricity has led to the massive acquisition of generating plants on an unprecedented scale. Individuals, small and large businesses, and every body in general have acquired this necessity to help power their businesses and also provide light and electricity to ensure comfort in their homes.
Often times, extreme care is disregarded and people often go to bed with their generating plants on all through the night without ensuring that there’s adequate ventilation while they sleep. However, there have been acute cases of whole families wiped out as they inhaled the dangerous exhaust fumes from their generating plants while they slept.
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