Effect of Air Pollution on Rain Water: A Case Study of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

Abstract

Human existence vis-à-vis its environment is more and more getting threatened sequel to air pollution occasioned majorly by human coupled with natural activities. Earth is getting warmer, ozone layer is getting depleted, and acid rain is being experienced, all as a results of air pollution. This study seeks to investigate the effect of air pollution on dew water. Thirty one (31) samples of dew water were collected in four locations in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. Analytical studies of the dew water samples was carried out to determine the pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Electrical Conductivity (EC) in order to determine whether the dew water is polluted or not. The pH of dew water samples collected and analyzed ranged between 5.5 and 7.9 in Olokun Ado-Ekiti while other samples fell in between this range. In Government Reserved Area (GRA), Ajilosun and EKSU school area, the pH ranged between 6.4 and 7.9 while EC fell in between 0.0 and 0.9 mS/cm which shows that the observed zones are polluted. Several activities such as open burning of refuse, deforestation in order to make charcoal and fire woods for household cooking, usage of generating sets for household and industrial power generation and non regular servicing of motor vehicles are to be checked by an individual and government in order to ameliorate the current trend in emission of air pollutants.