Revista de contaminación

Long-term Measurements of Toluene and NO2 at Selected Locations in Kuwait

Abstract

Maryam Shehab and Amjad Moinuddin

Toluene and NO₂ pollutants have an adverse effect on human health.

Objective: In this research, we measured the concentrations of both Toluene and NO₂ during 2019 in selected areas in Kuwait and their sources, including the Shuwaikh industrial area which has a large number of car service shops which may be the source of high concentrations of toluene. Methods: Datawere obtained from the Envista software used by the Kuwait Environmental Public Authority (KEPA) which measures the pollutants every minute daily in different locations in Kuwait.

Results:Toluene results from the Shuwaikh industrial area showed the highest concentration reading (17.465 ppb) in November at 20:00. As for NO₂, the highest concentration readings for the Shuwaikh industrial area, Al Salam, and Al-Mutla were (68 ppb) in May at 21:00 hours, (128 ppb) in February at 07:00 hours, and (83 ppb) in January at 21:00 hours and 22:00 hours respectively.

Conclusion:The higher concentrations for both toluene and NO₂ in the Shuwaikh industrial area are correlated with higher levels of traffic. High concentrations of NO₂ in Al-Salam and Al-Mutla are also related to traffic.