Determination of the concentration of total suspended particulate (TSP) matter from various sources in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria

The air basin was investigated to determine the concentration levels of Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) Matter from various sources in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. This quest was necessary due to the increasing wave of commercial, industrial, vehicular and domestic activities in the State. The determination of the concentration of TSP was carried out by means of predominant source on sampling sites covering the commercial, industrial, residential and vehicular particle emission sources, as well as the background source to serve as the test control. Particulates were systematically collected directly through the use of a gravimetric high volume air sampler with Whatman glass filters. The results gotten showed that the background source had the lowest mean TSP concentration of 89.72, while the vehicular source had the highest mean concentration of 264.72. All the emission sources in Uyo had TSP concentrations exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality standard of 40.00 concentration level of suspended particulates, with toxicity potentials ranging from 2.24 to 6.62. All the emission source types had mean TSP concentrations within the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) & air quality standard of 250.00 concentration level of suspended particles except for the vehicular source, with toxicity potentials ranging from 0.35 to 1.06. These high concentration levels are eminent because the quest for increasing urbanization in the State is not matched with proper and adequate air quality control.