Psychological Effects of Soot Pollution on Academic Functional Capacity

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue I, January 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

Psychological Effects of Soot Pollution on Academic Functional Capacity

Larry O. Awo^1*, Enebi Y. Atanu², Anyahie A. Azunwo³, and George Duru⁴

 ¹General Studies School, Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Rivers State, Nigeria
²Department of Statistics, Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Rivers State, Nigeria
³Department of Petroleum Marketing and Business Studies, Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Rivers State, Nigeria
⁴Department of Pension Services, Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Rivers State, Nigeria
*Corresponding Author

Abstract:-Empirical evidences on the psychological effects of sooth pollution due to gas flaring activities in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria is hugely unknown. We examined the effects of exposure to soot pollution on academic functional capacity of staff and students of a Federal Polytechnic in Bonny Island, Rivers state, Nigeria. One hundred and sixty five (165) male and female participants aged 18-44 years (M= 29.36; SD = 8.14) took part in the study. Exposure to sooth pollution and academic functional capacity depletion were measured by means of questionnaires. Regression analysis results revealed that exposure to soot predicted academic functional capacity depletion, gender was also a predictor of academic functional capacity depletion, and academic functional capacity depletion was more among staff than students. Consistent exposure to soot disrupts teaching and learning activities in the Polytechnic. A call, is therefore made, for the minimization of gas flaring activities and soot pollution in academic towns in order to ensure a conducive environment for teaching and learning activities by staff and students.

Keywords: Functional Capacity Depletion; Psychological Effects; Niger-Delta Region; Soot Pollution.

I. INTRODUCTION

Oil prospecting, exploration and extraction in has hugely boosted the growth of the Nigerian economy by contributing over 60% of the country’s annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Abali, Etebu & Leton, 2018), and the Kingdom of Bonny Island has been a major producer of both crude oil and natural gas in the last few decades. The location of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) plant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), and Exon-Mobil exploration stations in the Island has resulted in the proliferation and abundance of pipelines, oil wells, dredged swamps, flow stations

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