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Carbon pollution through generators in Nigeria

Air is natures gift to us. Carbon pollution through generators has been a big issue in Nigeria. In Nigeria, numerous people use generators to provide light because the country is undersupplied with electricity. Carbon Air pollution is caused by the combustion of fossil fuel that emits carbon dioxide other factors contributed to this problem such as trucks, cars, trains (Denchak, 2018). This Wikipedia entry would look at the total number of people using generators in Nigeria, its causes on the environment and its effects on human health as well as look at the various solution or measures that can be implemented to reduce the burning of fossil fuel in Nigeria. It is clear that carbon air pollution is harmful. This paper will provide an overview of how a generator works, types, various issues, causes and solutions that the government may take to help address the issue. Table of Content Introduction/Facts How does it work Types of generators Why is it an issue in Nigeria Causes/effects of using generators in Nigeria Solution Kinds of pollution generators cause Introduction Generators can also be called a dynamo(Slemon, 2014). It is a machine that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy to use to powerhouses, industries (Slemon, 2014). The major generators used in Nigeria are the petrol/Diesel generators. Generators can generally produce power to power automobiles, aircraft ships and trains (Slemon, 2014). Air pollution is the release of carbon gases into the atmosphere. (Nathason, 2018) In most countries, diesel or petrol generators are often used as emergency power when there is a power outage. In Nigeria, generators have become a primary source of electricity for households and businesses, as electricity from the national grid is low. (Okoro, 2014). Nigeria is home to 201,966,847 (Nigerian population, 2019) with people from different ethnic groups and of all the ethnic groups in Nigeria, the major groups are Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa. Due to the undersupply of electric in Nigeria. Its citizens are forced to come up with other sources of electricity. How does it work A generator is a machine electric energy to electric energy by coal hydro or wind (Beck, 2018). A special kind of cylinder-shaped magnet, called an electromagnet, is placed around a series of insulated coils of conducting wire (such as a copper wire) that are wrapped around a central shaft. Each of these many coils, then, is like a ring surrounding the shaft and oriented at a right angle to the axis of the shaft, much like the relationship of tires to the axle that holds them. When the shaft connected to the wires rotates, a current is generated, because the cylindrical electromagnet outside the wires does not rotate along with them, thus establishing relative movement between a magnetic field and charges inside the conducting wire (Beck, 2018). Types of generators used in Nigeria There are 2 major generators in Nigeria namely: Petroleum Generator, Diesel Generator Others are Thermal generator Kinetic generators Why is it an issue? Carbon air pollution is an issue because it releases carbon dioxide into the environment. Despite the negative effect of generators in Nigeria, its demand has increased all over the country. The irregular power supply in Nigeria has caused its citizens to be dependent on petrol/diesel which is unprofitable to its economy. This issue has caused its citizens to purchase a low- cost generator popularly known as "I Better Pass My Neighbour", among members of Nigeria's. Although generators are costly to purchase and operate, it has become a necessity (Adjapong 2018). Kinds of pollution Air pollution Noise pollution Water Pollution Causes/effects of using generators in Nigeria Millions of Nigerians use a lot of generators to power their homes and because of that many of the residents inhale daily a deadly mix of particulate matter, Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Oxide (NO), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and partially unburnt hydrocarbons (Denchak, 2018). These substances contributed to the death of seven million people, researchers have shown that numerous cases have posed the negative effect of using generators but the two cases that have struck me were these articles online about 17 people dying at a prayer meeting in Umuahia, Nigeria. Witnesses and police claimed that after the prayer meeting, they fell asleep while the generators were still on inside the building, they were asleep and suffocated while the fumes came into the house and killed all of them (Igboeroteonwu, 2008). There was another case about fume killing a family of seven consisting of five children, Father, and mother who stayed in a one-bedroom apartment. Sources said that they were asleep in the sitting room while the generator was on. Sources also stated that the generator was put in the kitchen while the fumes spread to the sitting room where the family was asleep. The deceased neighbor was the people that found them when they realized that the family was not out for their usual daily activity (The Punch, 2019). Health Issue of using generators in Nigeria Petrol/Diesel has a lot of toxic inside it, for example, Nitrogen oxide as well as carbon dioxide. These toxics are known to cause cancer and even deplete the ozone layer. In Nigeria, the use of diesel and petrol generators has caused the high risk of lung cancer urban-based non-smokers less than 60 years old most of whom use diesel generators daily (Awofeso, 2011). Research showed that there has been an increase in asthma amongst the adult 5.1–7.5% in 2003 to 13.1–14.2% in 2006 (Awofeso, 2011). There are a series of effects of air pollution on human health such as cardiovascular, respiratory disorders. For respiratory health effects Cigarette smoke, Vehicle exhaust fumes, and generators and the risk of developing a series of respiratory diseases. Cigarette smoke, vehicle exhaust fumes, and generators which are air pollutants made up of CO2 gases sulfur-dioxide and nitric-oxide have lung diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, and bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease (Mannucci et al 2015 58). For cardiovascular disorder a series of biological mechanisms linking air pollution and cardiovascular disease have emerged from various experimental studies, the most important involving the activation, after particulate matter inhalation, of inflammatory pathways, primary and secondary hemostasis and the production of reactive oxygen species. Most cohort studies in different communities connected long-term air pollution exposure with an increased risk of incident fatal or non-fatal coronary artery disease (Mannuccio et al. ,2015). Challenges of using the generators The biggest challenge with using these generators is that it causes air pollution, but it also causes health issues. Sometimes because it has been used for a long time it can make you spend a lot of money to repair. Also because of the generators being used for a long time, you might need to change the parts often. Most of the generators used re mostly imported. Conclusion Technology has come a long way, Scientists are working on new methods to produce energy such methods include using solar, wind and geothermal. The Government should prioritize renewable energy above all other energy for a friendlier ecosystem. Setting national air pollution control standards to protect public health. Standards should be set by the government to curb air pollutants. The government could explore other sources of energy such as biomass and biofuel and the development of new gas fields to generate electricity. It is becoming increasingly clear that we need to stop burning fossil fuels and that we cannot afford another decade of scientific inquiry, let alone another century before we act. For the solution to the health effect of using generators Hydroelectricity or other sources of electricity should be used or Liquefied gas-powered generators could be introduced to replace diesel generators.

Bibliography Beck, Kevin. (2019, September 30). How Does a Generator Work?. sciencing.com. Retrieved from

https://sciencing.com/generator-work-4564043.html.

Nigeria Population. (2019-08-28). Retrieved 2019-09-10, from http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/nigeria/ Adjapong,E.O(2018, November 26). ‘I better pass my neighbour’. Generator Use and The Nigerian Energy Crisis, Retrieved from http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2018/ph240/owusu-adjapong1/

The Punch (2019, July 12). Generator fumes kill couple, five children in Rivers, Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/nigeria/generator-fumes-kill-couple-five-children-in-rivers/ar-AAEcjL9 Igboeroteonwu, A.(2008, July 16).Generator fumes kill 17 at Nigeria prayer meeting. Reuters, Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-deaths-fumes/generator-fumes-kill-17-at-nigeria-prayer-meeting-idUSL1649850320080716

Awofeso, N.(2011, May 15)."Generator Diesel Exhaust: a Major Hazard to Health and the 	Environment in Nigeria." American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 183(10), p. 1437 Retrieved fromhttps://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/ajrccm.183.10.1437

Nathason,J.( 2018, October 31). Air pollution .Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.,Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/air-pollution

Mannucci, P.M., Harari S., Martinelli I., and M. Franchini (2015) “Clearing the Air: A Review of the Effects of Particulate Matter Air Pollution on Human Health.” Journal of Medical Toxicology 8 (2): 166–75. doi:10.1007/s13181-011-0203-1.