SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF NOISE LEVEL IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, UGBOWO CAMPUS

ABSTRACT

The interpretation of sound as noise is a subjective experience shaped by various factors including the essential attributes of the noise and the individual physiological traits of each person. This study aimed to examine ambient noise levels at 20 randomly chosen sites within the University of Benin, Ugbowo campus in Edo State. Utilizing the advanced features of ARCGIS software version 10.8, the selected locations were carefully identified and noise measurements were taken at each site with an accurate digital sound level meter. Over the course of four weeks in January 2024, these sampling sites were revisited weekly and by employing advanced spatial mapping techniques like the inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation method in ARCGIS 10.8, detailed maps were created to illustrate the noise distribution across the sampled locations. The average noise values were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA test in SPSS version 21. This analysis was performed at a 95% confidence level. The average noise levels were systematically calculated for each week with observed mean noise levels ranging from 65.25dB to 87.82dB in the first week, 67.73dB to 82.42dB in the second week, 67.83dB to 88.33dB in the third week, and 65.15dB to 87.05dB in the fourth week, respectively. Overall, the mean noise levels remained within acceptable limits, however, the observation that maximum mean noise levels were nearing hazardous thresholds raised alarms about potential risks to human hearing health. A significant difference was noted in the grouped mean noise values at p > 0.05. The noise maps revealed a concentration of elevated noise levels primarily towards the middle and western ends of the sampled area, signifying heightened health hazards associated with noise exposure in these regions. Consequently, the implementation of noise mitigation strategies is strongly advised for these identified hotspots to alleviate potential adverse health effects and safeguard the well-being of individuals within these areas.