Environmental Impact of Quarrying Activities on Air Quality and Noise Levels in Orogbangba Town of Kwara State
1,*Adejumobi O. A. and 2Ojoawo S. O.
1,Civil Engineering Department, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo State, Nigeria
2 Civil Engineering Department, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso,
Nigeria
DOI: 10.36108/laujoces/6202.61.0112
Abstract
The environmental impacts of quarrying activities on air quality and noise levels in Orogbangba Town, Kwara State, Nigeria, were evaluated, with a focus on the residential settlements of Passa, Ire Akari, and Alubarika. Data were systematically collected from 15 georeferenced sampling nodes within a 1.29 km radius of the Kaidi Quarry epicentre over ten weeks. Air quality parameters, including carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2), were measured using calibrated ToxiRAE Pro sensors, while noise levels were assessed with ATP 901A dosimeters. The findings indicate substantial degradation of the ambient environment. Carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations peaked at 22 ppm, surpassing World Health Organisation (WHO) safety thresholds by 120 per cent, while mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at 1.8 ppm and sulfur dioxide (SO2) at 2.1 ppm consistently exceeded Federal Ministry of Environment (FMEnv) and WHO regulatory limits. Spatial Kriging interpolation mapping identified highrisk hotspots of gaseous emissions that corresponded directly with quarry operational hours. Additionally, noise levels reached up to 95 dBA at stations closest to the quarry, significantly exceeding the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) daytime limit of 70 dBA. These results demonstrate that quarrying activities in Orogbangba produce acoustic toxicity and hazardous air pollution, presenting chronic respiratory and auditory health risks to residents. The study determines that existing mitigation strategies are insufficient and recommends the implementation of stricter buffer zones and continuous environmental auditing to protect public health in the affected communities.
Keywords: Quarrying Impacts, Air Quality, Noise Pollution, GIS Spatial Analysis, Environmental Compliance.