Comparative Analysis of Emissions from Diesel and Gasoline Powered Generators Within Bingham University Campus, Karu, Nasarawa State, North-Central, Nigeria

Abstract

This study presents a comparative analysis of emissions from diesel and gasoline-powered generators within Bingham University, Karu, Nasarawa State, with the aim of assessing their impact on air quality and potential health risks. Three generators of different ages comprising two diesel-powered and one gasoline-powered, each situated approximately 100 m apart were selected, and their gaseous and particulate emissions were measured in-situ using Altair 5X Multi-Gas Detector and AEROCET 531 combined Mass Profiler and Particle Counter. Key pollutants analyzed included carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and particulate matter (PM₁, PM_2.5, PM₇, and PM₁₀), each measured over a 30-minute duration. Results revealed that emissions from all generators exceeded recommended air quality guidelines in several cases. The gasoline-powered generator recorded significantly higher CO levels compared to the diesel-powered generators, surpassing the World Health Organization (WHO) limits on both days of observation. SO₂ and H₂S concentrations from all generators were consistently above safe thresholds, indicating serious environmental and health concerns. While PM_2.5 levels were generally within acceptable limits, PM₁₀ levels from all generators were above recommended limits, suggesting a high risk of respiratory exposure. The findings highlight that generator emissions, particularly from gasoline-powered units, pose substantial risks to human health and the environment. Factors such as generator age (as observed with the older generators having higher concentrations in majority of cases), exhaust orientation, and atmospheric conditions influenced pollutant dispersion. We therefore conclude that reliance on fossil fuel generators contributes significantly to localized air pollution, and furthermore recommend centralized power systems, routine emission monitoring, increased public awareness, and a transition to cleaner energy sources such as solar power to mitigate adverse impacts.