Particulate Matter from Motor Vehicles in Nairobi Road Junctions Kenya

Samson Murangiri Mukaria^1, , Raphael G Wahome¹, Michael Gatari¹, Thuita Thenya¹ and Kiemo Karatu¹

¹Wangari Mathaai Institute, College of Agriculture and veterinary science, University of Nairobi

Cite this paper:
Samson Murangiri Mukaria, Raphael G Wahome, Michael Gatari, Thuita Thenya and Kiemo Karatu. Particulate Matter from Motor Vehicles in Nairobi Road Junctions Kenya. Journal of Atmospheric Pollution. 2017; 5(2):62-68. doi: 10.12691/jap-5-2-4

Abstract

Motor air pollution has become a problematic issue both within as it contributes to environmental degradation. It is evident that air crises in cities continue to rise partly because of the increasing levels of motor vehicle emissions. With the expansion of the economic base, cities such as Nairobi also expand paving the way for an increase in motor vehicle ownership and use, which lead to higher rates of pollution. Given that exposure to pollutants is harmful to human health, the traffic police are vulnerable because members are constantly uncovered to motor vehicle fumes. The survey interviewed a purposive and non-random stratified sample of 127 police officers, according to their seniority, years of employment and work experience, from the target population of traffic police working in major road junctions within the CBD, Nairobi Kenya. The sampled junctions were Kamukunji, Railways terminal, University way and Uhuru roundabouts. In addition, from the leadership rank, five (5) key informants were also interviewed. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires. Discussions were held with the key informers. The findings show that there are that the high concentrations of PM2.5 in Nairobi major roundabouts is attributed to vehicular traffic congestion and worsened with poorly maintained and old vehicles. The significantly high values obtained compared to World Health Organization 24 hr guideline of 25 µg m-3 (2000) creates a severe health issues to regular pedestrians and workers around those areas. The study exposes that there are association between fine particulates and motor vehicles (r = 0.93), signifying that vehicular emissions is foremost source of fine particles in the atmosphere.

Keywords:
particulate matters PM_2.5 motor vehicle pollution exposure

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	UN, GEMS/AIR Methodology Reviews. Vol: 1, Quality Assurance in Urban Air Quality Monitoring. WHO PEP 94.X UNEP/GEMS 94.X UNEP, Nairobi, pp: 2010; 68.
[2]	Dockery L.M. Is daily mortality associated specifically with fine particles? J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc., 1996; 46: 927-939.
[3]	KNBS, Kenya Facts and Figures 2009. Government printing Press. 2009 pp 46, 67.
[4]	National Environmental Management Authority-Kenya (NEMA). Highlights on Draft Air Quality Regulations; 2013.
[5]	Nairobi county website, 2016 www.nairobi.go.ke/home/about-the-county.
[6]	Kenya police traffic department data, 2016.
[7]	Kinney PL, Aggarwal M, Northridge M, Janssen NAH, Shepard P. Airborne Concentrations of PM 2.5 and Diesel Exhaust Particles on Harlem Sidewalks: A Community-Based Pilot Study. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2009; 108(3):213-218.
[8]	KEBS: Regulations on Vehicle Importation, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Nairobi, 2013b.
[9]	Graeff R, Pichiule M, Mate T, Linares C, Diaz J. Short-term impact of particulate matter (PM2. 5) on respiratory mortality in Madrid. Int J Environ Health Res 2010; 21: 260-74.
[10]	Pirjola RS, Collie DD, Dixon PM, McGorum BC. Inhaled end toxin and organic dust particulates have synergistic proinflammatory effects in equine heaves (organic dust induced asthma). Clin Exp Allergy 2004; 33(5): 676-83.
[11]	Kittelson N, Jerrett M, Mack WJ, Beckerman B, LaBree L, Gilliland F, et al. Ambient air pollution and atherosclerosis in Los Angeles. Environ Health Perspect 2004; 113: 201-6.
[12]	Mage S, Stafoggia M, Faustini A, Gobi GP, Marconi A, Forastiere F. Saharan dust and association between particulate matter and daily mortality in Rome, Italy. Environ Health Perspect 1996; 119: 1409-14.
[13]	UNEP/WHO,. Urban Air Pollution in Megacities of the World. Blackwell Publishers, UK, 1992 pp: 230.
[14]	World Atlas, 2016 Maps of Nairobi, Kenya.
[15]	Goto DR, Litonjua A, Schwartz J, Lovett E, Larson A, Nearing B, et al. Ambient pollution and heart rate variability. Circulation 2016; 101: 1267-73.
[16]	Lin J, Pagels J, Swietlicki E, Zhou JC, Ketzel M, Massling A, et al. A set-up for field studies of respiratory tract deposition of fine and ultrafine particles in humans. J Aerosol Sci 2013; 37(9): 1152-63.
[17]	WHO, World Health Organization (WHO) Strategy on Air Quality and Health Occupational and Environmental Health Protection of the Human Environment. World Health Organization, Geneva. 2005.
[18]	WHO. - WHO Air quality guidelines for particulate matter, ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide and sulfur dioxide: Global Update 2000 (Document ref No. WHO/SDE/PHE/OEH/06.02).
[19]	Odhiambo GO, Kinyua AM, Gatebe CK, Awange J. Motor Vehicles Air Pollution in Nairobi, Kenya. Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences. 2010; 2(4):178-187.