Black soot in Port Harcourt By @liams1

Hello distinguished personalities that are oppurtuned to be members of this great Community, compliment of the season. I believe we have all bought our Christmas shoes, watches, clothes etc. It is really a previllage that I write in respect of the environmental menace which is causing more harm than good in our environment and I will be critically using the city of Port Harcourt as a case study. ## What is Black Soot?.

Black soot can best be described as a product of the incomplete combustion of fueled carbon. You see, when carbon burns all the way through, very little residue is left. When it doesn't, it leaves behind a black, flaky substance called soot. It is comprised of a variety of pollutants, including chemicals, acids, metals, soils, and dust, which are suspended in the air after emission. Soot can come in solid, liquid, or gaseous (“aerosols”) states.

Source
This simply means that black soot is a byproduct substance which is formed due to burning, incomplete burning via poor supply of oxygen O2 or air
2 C3H8 + 9 O2 → 4 CO2 + 2 CO + 8 H2O + Heat
Above is the chemical equation.

According to (WHO) World Health Organization air pollution constitutes the largest among all of the environmental risks: 3 million annual deaths are associated with outdoor air pollution exposure. In 2012 alone, 11.6 percent of global deaths equivalent to 6.5 million deaths were outdoor air pollution-related. 94% of the approximately 90% of air pollution-related deaths occurring in low-and middle-income countries are as a result of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer. Industrial activities constitute a principal source of air pollution [1]. Data for Nigeria’s air quality status contained in the Little Green Data Book 2015 [2] puts the population exposed to air pollution at PM2.5 levels, and exceeding WHO guidelines, at 94%. This number is above the 72% Sub-Saharan Africa average [2].The poor are further disproportionately affected [3,4]. Environments 2018, 5, 2; doi:10.3390/environments5010002.

Much research has found out that the Niger Delta region with emphasis on Port Harcourt possess poor air quality due to its industrial activities and lack of human literacy on industrial siting. Normally siting an industry, few steps are needed to be mapped out which are:

• Industries should be far from human settlements and dwellers
• Good road network
• Nearest to market etc.
  My main emphasy is mostly on "Industries far from settlements". It is really sad that this rule isn't followed in Nigeria especially Port Harcourt. The Eleme Petrochemical shares a fence with humans and also ditto with the Port Harcourt refinery.

Causes of Black Soot.

Source
We have given a little explanation on black soot so let's explain the causes of black soot.
All explanation will be sited based on Port Harcourt.
Here are few causes of the Black soot in Port Harcourt

• Combustion of Asphalts
• Burning of Tyres
• Poor combustion of petroleum products and flaring of gases which could be used as energy
• Bunkering, vandalism and illegal petroleum activities at creeks. Etc
  These and more are the causes of Black soot in Port Harcourt.
  We know that the Garden city "Port Harcourt" is already over populated and Water bodies are sand filled just for the purpose of construction and building of houses and structures.
  The water bodies which would have been as a source to reduce the soot has been covered for infrastructures. Recall, the secured refineries in Port Harcourt are not even sorrounded by rivers so when this soots are released to the atmosphere and there is no evaporation to reduce the soot and send it back as rain into the sea the soot is then blown as air. That is why you can check your nostrils, your walls and windows and find dark substances.
  The increased effect of black substances is due to little rivers in the city of Port Harcourt. Nature is all about balance and we humans are not understanding this rule. Newton's third law is a quote that should be taken very serious.

Effects of Black Soot

Now let's just site an example you are to go for an interview and you bleached your white shirt, ironed it properly and you gracefully stepped out smiling and walking majestically, before you get to the bus stop you are having a fill of black dots on your white🤣🤣 you left on plane white but now you are putty on a black polkadot white shirt funny right?.
Not only the effects on clothes, the black soot also causes irritations, coughs, cattarh, eye irritation, Nose , Throat irritation etc. Black soot also causes respiratory diseasesa and infections, bronchitis, heart diseases, cancer related issues.

Ways of Managing the Black Soot

For now I can't categorically say there are ways to stop the soot but rather ways of preventing or managing the soot.
Bellow are ways to manage it's effects

• Nose mask
  We know that the introduction of nose masks hasn't only helped uses in the Covid prevention but also, it has been a good tool for air pollution and air filteration of chemicals.Wearing your nose mask helps you from inhaling the soots due to the layers which are smaller than the particles of the soot.
• Close windows and doors
  The soot is transported by air and due to this fact the droplets settles on floors, cottons and windows so to avoid it settling in our houses we have to keep the doors and windows shut.
• General cleaning
  Always clean all visible and reachable areas at home, offices and cars etc to reduce the soot stains
• Wash your hands
  Wash your hands daily and proper before and after you go out and when you want to eat . Avoid rubbing your eyes.
• Regular shower
  Always take your bath regularly so you can wash off soot on your skin
• Avoid contaminated food
  Do not eat foods that has been exposed to air, wash fruits before eating.
  The last and majoy create awareness so people can know the dangers of this soot and it's effects.

Conclusion

Black soot isnt environmental friendly and human friendly so let's avoid this deadly air pollutants and look for ways to stop them.
Thanks for reading guys, I hope we learnt a little from this post🙂. I am @liams1