TY  - EJOU
AU  - Ambrose, Idongesit Sunday 
AU  - Etuk, Sunday Edet 
AU  - Agbasi, Okechukwu Ebuka 
AU  - Silas, Ijah Ioryue 
AU  - Saturday, Unyime Udoette 
AU  - Orok, Eyo Edet 

TI  - Public Health Implications of Road Construction and Traffic Congestion in a Hydrocarbon-Polluted Environment: An Assessment of Air and Noise Pollution
T2  - Revue Internationale de Géomatique

PY  - 2025
VL  - 34
IS  - 1
SN  - 2116-7060

AB  - Road construction and traffic congestion are increasingly recognized as major contributors to environmental and public health challenges in urban Nigeria, particularly in Rivers State. Despite growing urbanization, a gap remains in localized data on the combined effects of air and noise pollution in hydrocarbon-polluted environments. This study addresses that gap by conducting a preliminary environmental health assessment focused on the Port Harcourt Ring Road project. Air quality and noise levels were monitored <i>in situ</i> at 20 strategically selected locations, with five control points included for baseline comparison. Digital portable meters were used to measure concentrations of pollutants including NO<sub>2</sub>, SO<sub>2</sub>, CO, PM<sub>10</sub>, PM<sub>2.5</sub>, CH<sub>4</sub>, Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs), and H<sub>2</sub>S, while ArcGIS software was employed for spatial interpolation using the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) method. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to examine relationships among pollutants. Results revealed significantly high concentrations of NO<sub>2</sub>, SO<sub>2</sub>, and PM<sub>10</sub>—exceeding the Federal Ministry of Environment’s permissible limits. Strong positive correlations were observed among key pollutants (e.g., NO<sub>2</sub>-SO<sub>2</sub>: r = 0.79; CO-NO<sub>2</sub>: r = 0.71; CH<sub>2</sub>O-CO<sub>2</sub>: r = 0.84), indicating familiar sources such as vehicular emissions and construction activities. Noise levels at several junctions exceeded World Health Organizsation (WHO) and Federal Ministry of Environment (FME) thresholds, posing risks of hearing loss and stress-related disorders. These findings underscore the need for stricter regulatory oversight, improved urban planning, and follow-up studies to explore the health impacts in high-risk zones further.
KW  - Chlorine gas (Cl<sub>2</sub>); morbidity and mortality; respiratory health; vehicle emissions; volatile organic compounds (VOC)

DO  - 10.32604/rig.2025.064552