TY - JOUR
T1 - Air Pollution in Accra Neighborhoods
T2 - Spatial, Socioeconomic, and Temporal Patterns
AU - Dionisio, Kathie L.
AU - Arku, Raphael E.
AU - Hughes, Allison F.
AU - Jose Vallarin, O.
AU - Carmichael, Heather
AU - Spengler, John D.
AU - Agyei-Mensah, Samuel
AU - Ezzati, Majid
PY - 2010/4/1
Y1 - 2010/4/1
N2 - This study examined the spatial, socioeconomic status (SES), and temporal patterns of ambient air pollution in Accra, Ghana. Over 22 months, integrated and continuous rooftop particulate matter (PM) monitors were placed at a total of 11 residential or roadside monitoring sites in four neighborhoods of varying SES and biomass fuel use. PM concentrations were highest in late December and January, due to dust blown from the Sahara. Excluding this period, annual PM2.5 ranged from 39 to 53μg/m3 at roadside sites and 30 to 70 μg/m3 at residential sites; mean annual PM10 ranged from 80 to 108 μg/m3 at roadside sites and 57 to 106 μg/m3 at residential sites. The low-income and densely populated neighborhood of Jamestown/Ushertown had the single highest residential PM concentration. There was less difference across traffic sites. Daily PM increased at all sites at daybreak, followed by a mid-day peak at some sites, and a more spread-out evening peak at all sites. Average carbon monoxide concentrations at different sites and seasons ranged from 7 to 55 ppm, and were generally lower at residential sites than at traffic sites. The results show that PM in these four neighborhoods is substantially higher than the WHO Air Quality Guidelines and in some cases even higher than the WHO Interim Target 1, with the highest pollution in the poorest neighborhood.
AB - This study examined the spatial, socioeconomic status (SES), and temporal patterns of ambient air pollution in Accra, Ghana. Over 22 months, integrated and continuous rooftop particulate matter (PM) monitors were placed at a total of 11 residential or roadside monitoring sites in four neighborhoods of varying SES and biomass fuel use. PM concentrations were highest in late December and January, due to dust blown from the Sahara. Excluding this period, annual PM2.5 ranged from 39 to 53μg/m3 at roadside sites and 30 to 70 μg/m3 at residential sites; mean annual PM10 ranged from 80 to 108 μg/m3 at roadside sites and 57 to 106 μg/m3 at residential sites. The low-income and densely populated neighborhood of Jamestown/Ushertown had the single highest residential PM concentration. There was less difference across traffic sites. Daily PM increased at all sites at daybreak, followed by a mid-day peak at some sites, and a more spread-out evening peak at all sites. Average carbon monoxide concentrations at different sites and seasons ranged from 7 to 55 ppm, and were generally lower at residential sites than at traffic sites. The results show that PM in these four neighborhoods is substantially higher than the WHO Air Quality Guidelines and in some cases even higher than the WHO Interim Target 1, with the highest pollution in the poorest neighborhood.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77950385331&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/es903276s
DO - 10.1021/es903276s
M3 - Article
C2 - 20205383
AN - SCOPUS:77950385331
SN - 0013-936X
VL - 44
SP - 2270
EP - 2276
JO - Environmental Science and Technology
JF - Environmental Science and Technology
IS - 7
ER -