Monitoring Particulate Matter Levels in Port Harcourt Metropolis: Towards Developing a Baseline Framework: Policy Brief

Particulate Matter pollution (PM_2.5 ) is ranked sixth among the risk 2.5 factors for premature mortalities and Disability-Adjusted Life-Years (DALYs) globally. For example, in China alone, 1.3 billion people are exposed to levels of PM_2.5 that exceed the World Health 2.5 1 Organization (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines (AQG). As a result of the health burden linked to particulate matter, many countries have developed baselines and regulatory thresholds for ambient air quality, particularly in regions where gas flaring is prominent. Particular attention is given to PM_2.5 because of the health risks it poses to plausible receptors. For example, underlying illnesses such as respiratory diseases, which has been associated with exposure to polluted air, and has been reported to increase vulnerability to the ravaging coronavirus. Thus, countries topping gas-flaring charts such as Russia, Nigeria, Iran, Iraq, Algeria, and Saudi Arabia should ensure adequate measures to protect public health from exposures to all forms of particulate matter.