Original Research

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of airborne toxic pollutants and associated human health risks in industrial zones of Delta state, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: The rapid rate of industrial growth in Delta State, Nigeria, has led to an increase in the emission of airborne pollutants, including Particulate Matter (PM2.5), Sulfur dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which pose a threat to the environment and the health of the population. This paper utilises Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) to simulate the dispersion of pollutants and assess the risks associated with exposure in four industrial areas: Warri/Ekpan, Aladja, Ughelli, and Kwale.
Materials and methods: Simulations in three-dimensional CFD of ANSYS Fluent 2024 R1 were conducted using the actual meteorological, topographic and emission parameters provided in NiMet and EIA data. The NavierStokes equations were solved with the Realisable k-epsilon turbulence model. The model results were georeferenced and interpreted in ArcGIS Pro 3.2, generating exposure maps by combining the pollutant fields with the population fields. The Hazard Index (HI) and Lifetime Cancer Risk (LCR) were used in quantifying health risks in accordance with USEPA guidelines.
Results: The concentrations of VOCs and PM2.5 in the air were 115.6 µg/m³ and 56.2 µg/m³, respectively, which exceeded the WHO levels. HI values were 14.7-21.4 (adults) and 26.138.0 (children), and LCR values (1.710;- 3.210; -3) represented that there was carcinogenic risk.

Conclusion: CFDH-HRA was the most accurate in predicting risks of pollution and exposure, highlighting hotspots in critical zones near Warri and Aladja. The importance of adopting CFD-based control and monitoring
to achieve SDGs 3, 9, 11, and 13 lies in creating a cleaner and healthier environment.

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IssueVol 11 No 1 (2026): Winter 2026 QRcode
SectionOriginal Research
Keywords
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD); Airborne toxic pollutants; Human health risk assessment (HHRA); Industrial emissions; Delta state Nigeria
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Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
1.
Chinedu NB, Isangadighi G, Essien UB, Adedamola SB, Orabuego AU, Momoh PO. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of airborne toxic pollutants and associated human health risks in industrial zones of Delta state, Nigeria. JAPH. 2026;11(1):77-94.