An Analysis of Automobile Hydrocarcbon (HC) Emission Level in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

Automobile emission is considered as one of the major sources of atmospheric hydrocarbon. Due to its distinctive abilities to interact individually or in aggregate with other pollutants, hydrocarbon emission compromises air quality thus a major contributor to smog in many large cities of the world as well as the deteriorating health issues such as asthma, liver disease, lung disease and cancer. Thus study is focused on the analysis of automobile hydrocarbon emission levels in Lagos State, Nigeria. The automobile emission levels of hydrocarbon pollutant data was generated from sampling 312 different types of automobiles using Testo 350XL emission sensor. The result showed that the emission levels of hydrocarbon from the categories of automobiles sampled were found to be above the standards set by LASEPA/EURO III, with tricycle and motorcycle recording over 100% higher level of hydrocarbon emission of 4808.5ppm and 3079.43ppm compared to the LASEPA/EURO III set standard of 35.03ppm. The results also showed that petrol vehicles are the highest emitter of hydrocarbon pollutant with an average estimated level of 997.92ppm, whereas, the concentration from diesel engines accounted for 779.23ppm. Single time factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) results shows that emission concentration of hydrocarbon pollutants from the sampled automobiles differs significantly across different categories of automobiles. This is shown where the mean difference in hydrocarbon pollutant concentration between different automobiles reveals F30.429 at 0.000. Therefore, given the finding from this study, it is pertinent for the regulatory authorities (LASEPA and Vehicle Inspection Service) to strictly mandate and ensure that as a part of road worthiness requirements for vehicles operated in the State, every vehicles operating in the State must be subjected to a periodic emission test on a 6 months and 1 year durations for commercial and private vehicles respectively. As this will go a long way in reducing the concentration of this dangerous pollutant released into the air which will invariably reduce the impacts on human health and environment.