August 2015 Vol. 3 No. 8

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Original Research Article

Air pollution concerns at Quba district in Al-Madina Al-Munawara, KSA

Ayoub A. Bazzaz

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Kirkuk, Sayyada, Kirkuk, Iraq

Email: ayoubbazzaz@yahoo.co.uk

Accepted June 19, 2015

Abstract

Using highly sensitive air pollution detecting equipments ITX, ATX620 and IBRID-MX6 for over 12 months (June 13^th 2010-June 3^rd2011) at Quba Street of Al-Madina Al-Munawara, the air pollution has promptly been measured. Air pollution, in general, had reached the peak between 07:30-08:30am and 12:00-13:00pm for 6 working days per week. The peak for carbon monoxide (CO) recorded (75 ppm) between 08:00-11:00pm for 5 months a year i.e. Rajab, Shaban, Ramadan, Thul-kuada and Thul-Hujja months of the Islamic calendar, consecutively. Similarly, CO had risen during the praying rush hours of late prayers (Taraweeh) in the holy month of Ramadan (August 2010) too. Such a high record of CO is above the national standard limits which alert high risk of health. Other air pollutants i.e. NO_x and SO_x showed lower records than the CO. The overall percentage of smoking cars was almost 5%. It was concluded that the dramatic rise in the CO levels was due to the vast increase of the vehicles using this road, arbitrary parking on both sides and overuse of private vehicles by public. Such status of air pollution at Quba Street does alert the public awareness and the necessity to remedy the risk of CO on the human health.

Keywords: Air pollution, CO, Health risk, Quba, KSA.