Spatial Distribution of Industrial Pollution and Public Health Outcomes in Aba, Abia State

Aba, a major industrial and commercial city in Abia State within Nigeria's South East geopolitical zone, hosts a dense concentration of manufacturing activities including leather tanning, textile dyeing, shoe production, and food processing that generate significant industrial effluents and solid waste with implications for the health of surrounding communities. This study examines the spatial distribution of industrial pollution sources in Aba and their association with reported public health outcomes including respiratory disease, skin disorders, and gastrointestinal illness across the study area. Industrial discharge points were mapped through field surveys and cross-referenced with Abia State Environmental Protection Agency records. Water and air quality monitoring was conducted at 20 industrial zone perimeter stations and 20 residential control stations, measuring particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and biochemical oxygen demand in surface drainage channels. Health outcome data were derived from 2022 and 2023 facility-level morbidity records from four hospitals in Aba South and Aba North local government areas. Spatial regression analysis was applied to test associations between proximity to industrial areas and disease incidence rates at ward level. Results confirm significantly elevated rates of respiratory and dermatological presentations in wards within 500 metres of tannery and dyeing clusters. Biochemical oxygen demand levels in Aba's drainage channels exceed FEPA standards by factors of 8 to 12 at industrial zone perimeter stations. Recommendations include mandatory effluent treatment requirements, strengthened regulatory enforcement, and industrial park relocation planning. Keywords: industrial pollution, public health, Aba, Abia State, South East Nigeria.