INDOOR AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT

ABSTRACT

Several pollutants have been detected in indoor microenvironment settings, notably in kitchens and restaurants during the last several decades. The study assessed the indoor air quality of commercial restaurants and kitchens within Ikpoba Okha Area in Benin City. A total of fifteen restaurants with kitchens were randomly selected for weekly air quality sampling within a period of 6weeks. The particulates (PM1.0, PM2.5 and PM10), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) relative humidity (RH) and temperature were quantified using Dienmern DM106A Air Quality Detector, while carbon monoxide (CO) and wind speed (WS) were monitored using the Smart Sensor AS8700A device and Holdpeak 866B digital anemometer respectively. The data were analysed using windows for version 22.0. The results revealed that the average meteorological parameters in the restaurants and kitchens were 28.3 and 36.7 ℃ (Temp), 37.3 to 84.8% (RH) and 0.0 and 7.5 m/s (WS) respectively. The mean concentrations of the monitored air quality parameters were 0.0 – 6.4 to 12.7 mg/m3 (CO), 6.5 to 641.5 mg/m3 (TVOC), 19.8 to 58.3 to 93.7 µg/m3 (PM1.0), 35.0 to 254.8 µg/m3 (PM2.5) while 38.0 to 275.1 µg/m3 (PM10) in both restaurants and kitchen. There were weak associations between the meteorological parameters and measured air pollutant concentrations. The concentrations of particulates and TVOCs were higher than the WHO permissible limits. The concentrations of air pollutants in the kitchen were significantly higher than those in the restaurants across the study locations (P<0.05). The high concentrations of air pollutants observed in this could pose risk to the health of workers and customers who patronage the studied restaurants.