Environmental study of Mission Industrial Area and South St. Boniface neighborhood, Winnipeg, Canada.
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Date
2020-01-03
Authors
Solademi, Folarin
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Abstract
A seven months analysis of pollution levels for particulate matter (PM2.5) in air, toxic metals in
snow, as well as noise was undertaken and mapped in the Mission Industrial Area (MIA) and South
St. Boniface (SSB) neighbourhood in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Daytime respirable fine particulate
matter (PM2.5) was monitored by Dylos DC 1700 PM air quality monitor and A-weighted noise
level measurements was taken by Reed Digital Sound Level Meter. Evaluation of toxic metals (lead,
chromium, arsenic, nickel, mercury and zinc) in snow were measured and compared to different
pollution indices, including: contamination factor (cf), degree of contamination (cd) and pollution
load index (PLI) for heavy metals.
The PM2.5 Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standard of 28 μg/m3 was sporadically exceeded
downwind of the property line of the scrap metal shredder, with 5 out of 35 days averaging between
28.9 μg/m3 to 38.1 μg/m3. During the wildfire in August, the levels were high in the residential area
at 21.9 and 25.6 μg/m3 although other monitoring days ambient levels averaged 0.59 μg/m3 to 9.81
μg/m3, indicating satisfactory PM2.5 levels. However, the cf indices were high for lead, zinc, nickel
and mercury compared to background levels in MIA and SSB. One-way ANOVA and Spearman
rank correlation analysis revealed statistically significant higher levels for PM2.5 and heavy metals
concentration in snow MIA and SSB. Mapping showed the highest pollution of PM2.5, contaminant
factors (cf), noise were downwind of IM and radiating out, but reducing and remaining significantly
above background levels. Also, the noise levels regularly exceeded the city by-law level in the MIA,
on the properties adjacent to the scrap metal shredder, with 90% of the sampling time over 200
hours (number of days= 35). The 55 dBA by-law guideline was also exceeded in the residential
areas on 4 days out of the 33 monitored. This research shows high particulate matter, toxic heavy
metals and noise levels adjacent to the scrap metal shredding operation in IM, which suggests the
need for regulatory action to enclose the shredder for pollution control.
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Keywords
Environmental monitoring