Assessment of the impacts of Nyiragongo volcano eruption on air quality in north west Rwanda(Rubavu)

Abstract

Air pollutant which is being accumulated in the atmosphere from different sources such as emission of vehicles, industries, domestic sources and natural sources causes some atmospheric instability where these particle increases temperature in the upper atmosphere and keep it warm as some air pollutant gases reflect back sun’s ray which may cause global warming and change ambient air composition. This can seriously impact human health, potentially leading to lung cancer, brain damage, kidney and liver damage, respiratory diseases, and various illnesses, as well as irritation of the nose, throat, eyes, and skin. We simply say that natural sources is one of the source of air pollutants, here we can say example of volcanic eruption that may lead to increased level of pollutant including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter. On 22nd may 2021, there was eruption of Nyiragongo volcano in Democratic Republic of Congo. This paper focuses on assessing the impacts of Nyiragongo volcano eruption on air quality of north western part of Rwanda especially in Rubavu District. This study used different data of air quality of Rubavu district taken from Rwanda environment management Authority (REMA) there is air quality analysis like level of concentration of air pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2) by taking different time interval to know what was the air quality of the region before eruption and the air quality analysis after volcano has erupted. HYSPLIT Model has been used to simulate spatial and temporal distribution of volcanic gases (air parcel)