Analysis of nine composite soil samples, each made of three replicate core samples and their respective background samples collected from Okigwe, Nekede and Orji automobile mechanic villages were conducted. Metal concentrations (mg/kg) above the background levels in the top 100 cm soil profile ranges as follows: 748-70,606 (± 10114.3) for iron; 99-1090 ± 251.3 for lead; 186-600 ± 180 for manganese; 102-1001± 201.9 for copper; 8-23 ± 12.9 for cadmium; 4-27 ± 6.0 for chromium; and 3-10 ± 2.2 for nickel. The order of abundance is: iron > lead > manganese > copper > cadmium > chromium > nickel, with Okigwe > Nekede > Orji. Pollution indexes show that the metals have similar pollution trends in the three layers (L -L ), with L (0-10 cm) > L (10-20 cm) > L (90-100 cm) in Okigwe, L

No abstract

Mechanic village should be adapted in developing countries rather than the city-wide auto mechanic workshop practice. This is suggested because developing countries are yet to enforce environmentally friendly automobile workshops and mechanic practice. If all automobile repair works in different cities are confined to mechanic villages, collection, preservation, recycling and reuse of spent oil will become effective. The goal is to stop the habit of disposing spent automobile oil on the ground, which results in excessive trace metal pollution of topsoil and insecurity of food products in the affected areas. Beside environmental quality, business and employment opportunities will improve. Small-scale refining or reprocessing of used oil in mechanic villages is lucrative and recycling plants are affordable and available. Cost benefit analysis indicate strong environmental benefits and annual turnover in excess of $2,234,375.00.

The air quality of four areas in Imo State with a total of twenty two locations was monitored for a period six months with respect to CO level using Gasman air monitor (Crowcon Instruments Ltd, England. The air quality monitoring was conducted in the morning, afternoon and evening hours within dry and wet seasons in order to elucidate the variability of this atmospheric pollutant in the study locations. The results obtained showed significant variation of the air pollutant in the morning, afternoon and evening including within the twenty four weeks, and between dry and wet seasons. The mean values of CO in the dry season are in the order Egbema > Okigwe > Owerri > Orlu, while the order for the mean CO level in wet season is Okigwe > Orlu > Egbema > Owerri. Elevated concentration of CO was observed in the study areas above 10 ppm, the Nigerian National ambient air quality standard. This observation calls for health and environmental concern. Hence, anthropogenic activities and fugitive emission sources of atmospheric pollutants such as increased vehicular traffic, biomass combustion, use of electric power generating sets, leakages from incinerators and flare stacks should be seriously monitored.

The air quality of four areas in Imo State with a total of twenty two locations was monitored for a period six months with respect to CO level using Gasman air monitor (Crowcon Instruments Ltd, England. The air quality monitoring was conducted in the morning, afternoon and evening hours within dry and wet seasons in order to elucidate the variability of this atmospheric pollutant in the study locations. The results obtained showed significant variation of the air pollutant in the morning, afternoon and evening including within the twenty four weeks, and between dry and wet seasons. The mean values of CO in the dry season are in the order Egbema > Okigwe > Owerri > Orlu, while the order for the mean CO level in wet season is Okigwe > Orlu > Egbema > Owerri. Elevated concentration of CO was observed in the study areas above 10 ppm, the Nigerian National ambient air quality standard. This observation calls for health and environmental concern. Hence, anthropogenic activities and fugitive emission sources of atmospheric pollutants such as increased vehicular traffic, biomass combustion, use of electric power generating sets, leakages from incinerators and flare stacks should be seriously monitored.