Comprehensive health risk assessment of urban ambient air pollution (PM2.5, NO2 and O3) in Ghana
Urbanization and industrialization have drastically increased ambient air pollution in urban areas globally from vehicle emissions, solid fuel combustion and industrial activities leading to some of the worst air quality conditions. Air pollution in Ghana causes approximately 28,000 premature deaths...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324016671 |
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| author | Boansi Adu Ababio Gerheart Winfred Ashong Thomas Peprah Agyekum Blessed Adjei Yeboah Marian Asantewah Nkansah Jonathan Nartey Hogarh Michael Kweku Commeh Edward Ebow Kwaansa-Ansah Kwabena Dabie Felix Adulley Eldad Boansi Lorenda Sarbeng Birago Adu Ababio Maame Serwaa Boapea Nana Kwabena Oduro Darko Meshach Kojo Appiah |
| author_facet | Boansi Adu Ababio Gerheart Winfred Ashong Thomas Peprah Agyekum Blessed Adjei Yeboah Marian Asantewah Nkansah Jonathan Nartey Hogarh Michael Kweku Commeh Edward Ebow Kwaansa-Ansah Kwabena Dabie Felix Adulley Eldad Boansi Lorenda Sarbeng Birago Adu Ababio Maame Serwaa Boapea Nana Kwabena Oduro Darko Meshach Kojo Appiah |
| author_sort | Boansi Adu Ababio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urbanization and industrialization have drastically increased ambient air pollution in urban areas globally from vehicle emissions, solid fuel combustion and industrial activities leading to some of the worst air quality conditions. Air pollution in Ghana causes approximately 28,000 premature deaths and disabilities annually, ranking as a leading cause of mortality and disability-adjusted life years. This study evaluated the annual concentrations of PM2.5, NO2 and O3 in the ambient air of 57 cities in Ghana for two decades using historical and forecasted data from satellite measurements. The study assessed urban air quality and evaluated both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks associated with human exposure to ambient air pollutants. Alarmingly, our findings revealed the yearly median PM2.5 concentrations (50.79–67.97 µg m−3) to be significantly higher than the WHO recommendation of 5 µg m−3. Tropospheric ozone concentrations (72.21–92.58 µg m−3 ) also exceeded the WHO annual standard of 60 µg m−3. Furthermore, NO2 concentrations (3.65–12.15 µg m−3 ) surpassed the WHO threshold of 10 µg/m³ in multiple cities. Hazard indices indicated that PM2.5 and O3 pose significant non-carcinogenic health risks for younger age groups for a daily exposure duration of three hours and beyond. According to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) in our study, exposure to PM2.5 shortens life expectancy by 4.5–6.2 years. The ambient air of the majority (98 %) of the cities was unhealthy for sensitive groups. This study reveals the urgent need for comprehensive air quality policies in Ghanaian cities. It emphasizes the significance of robust real-time monitoring of air pollutants and the investigation of seasonal dust storm effects, to fill data gaps in Ghana and West Africa, facilitating evidence-based interventions that improve urban air quality and public health outcomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c80d0cccc4f94856aa2986b09294a1b3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj-art-c80d0cccc4f94856aa2986b09294a1b32025-01-23T05:25:51ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-01-01289117591Comprehensive health risk assessment of urban ambient air pollution (PM2.5, NO2 and O3) in GhanaBoansi Adu Ababio0Gerheart Winfred Ashong1Thomas Peprah Agyekum2Blessed Adjei Yeboah3Marian Asantewah Nkansah4Jonathan Nartey Hogarh5Michael Kweku Commeh6Edward Ebow Kwaansa-Ansah7Kwabena Dabie8Felix Adulley9Eldad Boansi10Lorenda Sarbeng11Birago Adu Ababio12Maame Serwaa Boapea13Nana Kwabena Oduro Darko14Meshach Kojo Appiah15Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Technology Consultancy Centre International Centre for Innovation, Manufacturing, Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Corresponding author at: Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Occupational & Environmental Health & Safety, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Computer Science, Kumasi Technical University, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Environmental Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaTechnology Consultancy Centre International Centre for Innovation, Manufacturing, Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, GhanaDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, GhanaTechnology Consultancy Centre International Centre for Innovation, Manufacturing, Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Geography and Regional Planning, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, GhanaDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, GhanaDepartment of Virology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaDepartment of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Basic Education, University of Education, Winneba, GhanaUrbanization and industrialization have drastically increased ambient air pollution in urban areas globally from vehicle emissions, solid fuel combustion and industrial activities leading to some of the worst air quality conditions. Air pollution in Ghana causes approximately 28,000 premature deaths and disabilities annually, ranking as a leading cause of mortality and disability-adjusted life years. This study evaluated the annual concentrations of PM2.5, NO2 and O3 in the ambient air of 57 cities in Ghana for two decades using historical and forecasted data from satellite measurements. The study assessed urban air quality and evaluated both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks associated with human exposure to ambient air pollutants. Alarmingly, our findings revealed the yearly median PM2.5 concentrations (50.79–67.97 µg m−3) to be significantly higher than the WHO recommendation of 5 µg m−3. Tropospheric ozone concentrations (72.21–92.58 µg m−3 ) also exceeded the WHO annual standard of 60 µg m−3. Furthermore, NO2 concentrations (3.65–12.15 µg m−3 ) surpassed the WHO threshold of 10 µg/m³ in multiple cities. Hazard indices indicated that PM2.5 and O3 pose significant non-carcinogenic health risks for younger age groups for a daily exposure duration of three hours and beyond. According to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) in our study, exposure to PM2.5 shortens life expectancy by 4.5–6.2 years. The ambient air of the majority (98 %) of the cities was unhealthy for sensitive groups. This study reveals the urgent need for comprehensive air quality policies in Ghanaian cities. It emphasizes the significance of robust real-time monitoring of air pollutants and the investigation of seasonal dust storm effects, to fill data gaps in Ghana and West Africa, facilitating evidence-based interventions that improve urban air quality and public health outcomes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324016671Air pollutionHealth riskAir qualityGhanaParticulate matterNitrogen dioxide |
| spellingShingle | Boansi Adu Ababio Gerheart Winfred Ashong Thomas Peprah Agyekum Blessed Adjei Yeboah Marian Asantewah Nkansah Jonathan Nartey Hogarh Michael Kweku Commeh Edward Ebow Kwaansa-Ansah Kwabena Dabie Felix Adulley Eldad Boansi Lorenda Sarbeng Birago Adu Ababio Maame Serwaa Boapea Nana Kwabena Oduro Darko Meshach Kojo Appiah Comprehensive health risk assessment of urban ambient air pollution (PM2.5, NO2 and O3) in Ghana Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Air pollution Health risk Air quality Ghana Particulate matter Nitrogen dioxide |
| title | Comprehensive health risk assessment of urban ambient air pollution (PM2.5, NO2 and O3) in Ghana |
| title_full | Comprehensive health risk assessment of urban ambient air pollution (PM2.5, NO2 and O3) in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Comprehensive health risk assessment of urban ambient air pollution (PM2.5, NO2 and O3) in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comprehensive health risk assessment of urban ambient air pollution (PM2.5, NO2 and O3) in Ghana |
| title_short | Comprehensive health risk assessment of urban ambient air pollution (PM2.5, NO2 and O3) in Ghana |
| title_sort | comprehensive health risk assessment of urban ambient air pollution pm2 5 no2 and o3 in ghana |
| topic | Air pollution Health risk Air quality Ghana Particulate matter Nitrogen dioxide |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324016671 |
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