Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 47 | Published: 08 Oct 2026
Herbert Edem Kpodo1,2, &, George Akowuah2, Belinda Nsiah Opoku2, Samuel Dapaa2, Martha Arkaa Frimpong2, Magdalene Akos Odikro2, Samuel Okoe Sackey2
1Environmental Protection Authority, Greater Accra East Region, Tema, 2Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, Legon, Accra
&Corresponding author: Herbert Edem Kpodo, Environmental Protection Authority, Greater Accra East Region, Tema, Email: herbertkpodo@gmail.com
Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: o8 Oct 2026
Domain: Environmental Health
Keywords: MPM2.5, pollution, air quality, Air Quality Index
©Herbert Edem Kpodo et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Herbert Edem Kpodo et al., Air quality monitoring in some selected sites in Tema, Ghana, 2026. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):47. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0047
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) poses significant risks to respiratory and cardiovascular health. Rapid urbanization, industrial activities, traffic emissions, and port operations contribute to elevated PM2.5 levels in urban environments. Continuous monitoring is essential for assessing pollution trends and exposure risks. This study evaluated PM2.5 concentrations and Air Quality Index (AQI) patterns in Tema, Ghana.
A cross-sectional air quality assessment was conducted using seven AirGradient sensors deployed across industrial, residential, and port areas in Tema. The sensors continuously monitored PM2.5, temperature, and relative humidity at 1-minute intervals. Data was transmitted to a cloud-based platform and aggregated into hourly and daily averages. Quality control procedures ensured data reliability, with daily averages calculated only when completeness exceeded 75%. Twenty-four-hour PM2.5 concentrations were converted to AQI values using standard breakpoint-based linear interpolation to evaluate spatial variations in air quality and population exposure across monitoring sites.
A total of 49 suspected air pollution instances were identified during the study period. Seven monitoring sites were established; however, data from two sites were unavailable due to equipment failure, resulting in analysis of five active sites. Reporting performance was high, with timeliness and completeness ranging from 96.4% to 98.8%. AQI exceedances varied across sites, ranging from 0 to 4 events per monitoring week. AQI assessments and trend analyses revealed spatial variability in air pollution levels, indicating that pollution was unevenly distributed across the monitored locations.
The air quality monitoring network demonstrated high reporting completeness and timeliness, supporting reliable assessment of ambient air pollution in Tema. Despite equipment failure at two sites, the findings revealed notable spatial variations in AQI and pollution exceedances across monitored locations. These results indicate uneven distribution of air pollution exposure and highlight the importance of sustained monitoring to identify pollution hotspots, guide targeted interventions and strengthen air quality management strategies.
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