AN OVERVIEW OF AIR POLLUTION AND ITS HEALTH EFFECTS ON URBAN SETTLEMENT: A NIGERIA’S PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Air pollution is one of the major causes of health problems confronting humans today.
Presently, there is certainly a high rate of atmospheric pollution in Nigeria especially in the
densely populated urban cities. Besides, pollution levels may be rising as a result of increased
motor vehicle traffic building on already congested roads. Consequently, accumulation of these
pollutants in the atmosphere in large quantities and of longer duration poses harm to human
health. Ultimately, people living in urban and industrial areas are particularly prone to varied
types of diseases due to air pollution. Prevalent diseases resulting from exposure to these
pollutants include pertussis, pulmonary tuberculosis, cerebral spinal meningitis (CSM),
pneumonia, measles, chronic bronchitis, and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). This
review therefore focus on the effects of primary air pollutants on human health with the
objective of examining their various sources, chemical composition and emission of these
pollutants comprising of Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Carbon monoxide (CO), Particulate material
(PM), Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and Lead (Pb). In view of
these problems, control measures are likewise discussed. The human environment being the
basis for any economic, social and cultural development needs to be maintained in a good state
to ensure a high level of social performance. These can only be achieved through closer
monitoring of the pollutants released by motor vehicles and industries, which can adequately
help in reducing air pollution effects to the bearest minimum.