Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Technology, PMB 65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria
Chukwu, O., Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Technology, PMB 65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria
An impact study of food processing factory in Nigeria on air quality of its environment was studied using a factorial experiment. The effects of three primary air pollutants (by-products of the food processing): nitrogen (IV) oxide (NO2), carbon (IV) oxide (CO2) and sulphur (IV) oxide (SO2) on formation of acid rain also studied. These factors and their interactions in the predictive model showed significant impact on hydrogen ion concentration [H+], which is the key intrinsic parameter of acid rain. However, SO2 had higher detrimental influence than the other pollutants. Statistical analysis of the experimental data showed that the predictive model is adequate for obtaining optimum conditions. Validation of the model gave a correlation coefficient of 0.9999 between the measured and predicted values. Copyright © 2008 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.