Title: Assessment of daily and seasonal concentrations of particulates matters generated by rice mills in Makurdi using cluster analysis

Authors: Seini Aboh Samuel; Enokela Onum Shadrach

Addresses: Department of Agricultural Technology, Federal College of Horticulture, Dadinkowa, Gombe State, Nigeria ' Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Joseph Tarka Sauwan University Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract: The study was carried out at four rice milling in Makurdi Markets namely Wadata, Wurukum Roundabout, High-Level, and North-Bank. Nokia C3 stopwatch, Hanhart stopwatch and Crowcon Gasman for sensing carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide were adopted for data collection at 5 minutes' interval between 8 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 6 pm for two months in rainy and dry season. The Wurukum Roundabout recorded the highest concentration of CO and NO₂ for both seasons plus highest daily SO₂ in dry season. The correlation demonstrates that CO was positively significant (0.029) for both seasons while NO₂ and SO₂ were weakly significant (0.001) at rainy season. Performing cluster evaluation by square Euclidean distance average link between locations for probable similarities that exist among the particulate and locations indicated two clusters in three stages of combination. The coefficients for these stages were 1.89, 71.85 and 245.7.

Keywords: rice processing; particulate matter; rice mill; air pollutants; Makurdi.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2025.143517

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2025 Vol.13 No.1, pp.92 - 101

Received: 14 Jul 2023
Accepted: 16 Oct 2023
Published online: 30 Dec 2024 *