AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INFLUENCE OF COMBUSTION GENERATED POLLUTANTS ON THE INDOOR AIR QUALITY OF SELECTED LABORATORIES

(A CASE STUDY OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA)

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Author

Presented To

Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
Health threats in a learning environment can jeopardize the entire effort of teaching and learning. One of such health threats is the presence of hazardous gaseous elements within the interior either as a result of learning processes or from the external environment. Combustion is one of the basic process that is employed in the learning and teaching in the laboratory that leads to the release of some gaseous pollutants that are hazardous. This research assessed the influence of combustion generated pollutants on the indoor air quality of selected laboratories in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, with a view of: estimating the amount of combustion pollutant generated; assess the impact of this pollutant on the indoor air as well as recommend measure to be adopted to improve the indoor air quality of the environment. It was effected, by means of literature review and field survey entailing the use of an IMR 1400C gas analyzer, a well structured questionnaire and a checklist. Combustion pollutants were measured and the response from the questionnaire analyzed using computer software (SPSS). From the result of the pollutant measured, it is established that CO during combustion exceeded the ASHREA 62 and NAAQS limit of 9ppm reaching up to 45ppm at some points; also oxygen was observed to be at a critical level of 20.9% and at some point falling below the limit to20.4%. Similarly, it was established that fatigue is the most prominent symptom of poor indoor air quality during combustion among other symptoms like; sinus congestion, headache and sneezing. It was also established that combustion is a major contributor to poor indoor air quality in laborites especially in the absence of functional fume hoods, congestion in laboratories and inadequate ventilation system. Hence, It is recommended that; fume hoods should be well maintained for functionality and installed where it does not exist like the ‘chemistry lab I’, provision of adequate ventilation systems in the laboratories and the construction of new laboratories to accommodate the student enrolled without congestion in the laboratories during combustion