An Experimental-assessment of Human Exposure-levels to Aircraft Noise-hazards in the Neighbouring-environments of four Nigerian Airports

Abstract

This paper reports a scientific-assessment of the exposure-levels of aircraft noise-hazards suffered by persons living/working within the neighbourhoods of four Airports [Ibadan, Benin-City, Warri and Owerri] in Nigeria. Physical measurements of selected aircraft and environmental noise parameters [Ambient Noise Level (ANL), Sound Pressure Level (SPL), Aircraft Take-off Noise-level (ATNL) and Aircraft Landing Noise-level (ALNL)]; were carried-out using the integrated CR811C Noise meter, during one hundred and twenty (120) periodic noise sampling-surveys; performed [from January to December 2017] at thirty (30) randomly-selected study-locations, within the vicinity of each of these four(4) airports in accordance with the Method/Standard-procedures specified by the International Standards Organisation's (ISO) relevant standards - ISO 3891, ISO 1996-1 and ISO 1996-2. The results showed that: while SPL ranged from 103-115 dB (A) ANL, ranged from 52.3 - 64.1 dB (A), the ATNL ranged from 69.6 - 87.7 (dB (A)), and ALNL ranged from 66.2 - 82.7 dB (A). Actually, these results are alarming, since they significantly exceed the WHO Standard Recommended Maximum Noise-levels of: 35 dB (A) [Indoor], 55 dB (A) [Outdoor] to prevent Speech-intelligibility, Noise-annoyance & Sleep-disturbance; and 90 dB (A) [being the Permissible Noise level/limit for 8hour daytime safe human exposure]. These and the results of the Statistical analysis (Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test) carried-out, clearly prove the existence of a generally ignored, but yet dangerous problem of continuous human-exposure to excessively high-levels of Aircraft noise-hazards to which residents of Airports' neighborhoods are subjected.