ISSN (Online): 3108-1584
Research Paper
Volume 2, Issue 2 - September 2026
Paper ID: CRSIJ26000496
Author(s): John Zeblon, S.O Henry, M.O Akinsuroju, A.S Aliaye
Category: Environment
Research Area: Environmental Health impact Assessment
Pages: 1032-1041
Published Date: 30-10-2026
Volume/Issue: Volume 2 Issue 2 September-2026
ISSN (Online): 3108-1584
This article is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Petrochemical facilities are recognised sources of ambient air pollutants, yet community-level evidence from rural Nigerian settings remains limited. This cross-sectional study assessed ambient air quality and respiratory symptoms among adult residents living near a petrochemical facility in Ilaje Local Government Area (LGA), Ondo State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were administered to 400 respondents selected by multistage and systematic random sampling. Fine and coarse particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were monitored for seven days in each of the dry and rainy seasons (168 readings per season; 336 in total). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests with Cramer’s V, Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis and Spearman correlation tests. All pollutants were significantly higher in the dry season (p < .001; r = .47–.79). PM2.5 exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³ in 98.8% of dry-season and 83.9% of rainy-season readings. Mucus production (59.8%) and breathlessness on hurrying (50.5%) were the most frequently reported symptoms, and 28.7% (n = 115) of respondents reported a confirmed respiratory diagnosis, of whom 54.8% described their illness as severe or very severe. Residents who were always exposed to factory emissions had the highest mean total symptom score (4.30), but the overall group difference was not significant (H = 4.990, p = .173), and no exposure variable was significantly associated with diagnosis (all p > .05). The findings suggest a possible relationship between petrochemical emissions and respiratory burden; longitudinal studies with clinical measurements are required to establish causality.
Petrochemical industry, Air quality, Particulate matter, Respiratory symptoms, Seasonal variation, Ilaje, Nigeria
John Zeblon, S.O Henry, M.O Akinsuroju, A.S Aliaye, "Assessment of the Air Quality and the Environmental Health Impact of the Petrochemical Plant in Ilaje local government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria", Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 1032-1041, Sep. 2026.
John Zeblon, S.O Henry, M.O Akinsuroju, A.S Aliaye (2026). Assessment of the Air Quality and the Environmental Health Impact of the Petrochemical Plant in Ilaje local government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, 2(2), 1032-1041.
John Zeblon, S.O Henry, M.O Akinsuroju, A.S Aliaye. "Assessment of the Air Quality and the Environmental Health Impact of the Petrochemical Plant in Ilaje local government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria." Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, September 2026, pp. 1032-1041.
@article{CRSIJ26000496,
author = {John Zeblon, S.O Henry, M.O Akinsuroju, A.S Aliaye},
title = {Assessment of the Air Quality and the Environmental Health Impact of the Petrochemical Plant in Ilaje local government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria},
journal = {Cosmo Research and Science International Journal},
year = {2026},
volume = {2},
number = {2},
pages = {1032-1041},
issn = {3108-1584},
url = {https://cosmorsij.com/published/CRSIJ26000496.pdf},
abstract = {Petrochemical facilities are recognised sources of ambient air pollutants, yet community-level evidence from rural Nigerian settings remains limited. This cross-sectional study assessed ambient air quality and respiratory symptoms among adult residents living near a petrochemical facility in Ilaje Local Government Area (LGA), Ondo State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were administered to 400 respondents selected by multistage and systematic random sampling. Fine and coarse particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were monitored for seven days in each of the dry and rainy seasons (168 readings per season; 336 in total). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests with Cramer’s V, Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis and Spearman correlation tests. All pollutants were significantly higher in the dry season (p < .001; r = .47–.79). PM2.5 exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³ in 98.8% of dry-season and 83.9% of rainy-season readings. Mucus production (59.8%) and breathlessness on hurrying (50.5%) were the most frequently reported symptoms, and 28.7% (n = 115) of respondents reported a confirmed respiratory diagnosis, of whom 54.8% described their illness as severe or very severe. Residents who were always exposed to factory emissions had the highest mean total symptom score (4.30), but the overall group difference was not significant (H = 4.990, p = .173), and no exposure variable was significantly associated with diagnosis (all p > .05). The findings suggest a possible relationship between petrochemical emissions and respiratory burden; longitudinal studies with clinical measurements are required to establish causality.},
keywords = {Petrochemical industry, Air quality, Particulate matter, Respiratory symptoms, Seasonal variation, Ilaje, Nigeria},
month = {September}
}