ABSTRACT
VOCs are important class of air pollutants because they are ubiquitous and associated with increased short- and long-term health risks in the industrial areas and environs. The air samples were collected by passive sampler [ORSA 5] from two con-trastive industrial areas such as Ikeja and Isolo industrial areas. The air samplers were exposed to a height of 1.5-2.0 m and sampling was carried out four times a month for a period of 12 months. The adsorbed VOCs were desorbed with carbondi sulphide [CS2] and the solution analysed using Gas Chromatography [GC] fitted with Flame lonization Detector [FID]. Twenty-Six [26] VOCs were captured in the Atmosphere of each of the studied areas. The VOCs were classified thus: aromatics 37-42%, halogenated 37-38%, esters 2-3%, ketones 7-11%, alcohols 5-11%, ethers 4%, dienes 0-2%, nitrites 0-2%. Seven [7] VOCs each were the major contributors to ambient air pollution in Ikeja and Isolo industrial areas. VOCs pollutants in Ikeja industrial areas are xylenes 61.90%, Isopropy I benzene 20.90%, Isopropyl Acetate 8.47%, n-Butylhenzene 5.53%, Tuolene 1.34%, n-propyl-benzene 0.58% and methy-lene chloride 0.56% [eigen value > I] while in Isolo they are Ethylbenzene 66.36%, Ethanol 13.39%, chloroform 6.60%, 2,2 Dichloropropane 5.15%, xylene 3.89%, Isopropyl Acetate 1.77% and Tetra-chlo methane 1.66%. There is a significant difference [Pvalue < 0.05] between the levels of VOCs in the studied areas. The meteorological significant correlations with the ambient concentrations of VOCs. The monthly mean concentrations of the atmosphere total volatile organic compounds [TVOCs] in the studied areas show significant difference. The Principal Component Analysis [PCA] showed that the major sources of VOCs are mainly anthropogenic and four factors each were identified as sources of VOCs in each of the studied industrial areas with industrial emissions dominating in industrial areas