Determination of port-induced exhaust gas emission amounts and investigation of environmental impact by creating emission maps: Sample of Trabzon port

Abstract

The most important reason for the rapid increase of global warming and the occurrence of related climate changes is the contamination caused by greenhouse gases released into the air. Whereas air pollution affects human health significantly, it also threatens the lives of plants and animals. As it is known, the majority of the human population contemporarily lives in cities. In these circumstances, air pollution occurring in cities is of great importance. When the sources of air pollution occurring in cities are examined, it is seen that the pollution caused by emissions originating from vehicles and industry is the leading cause among these reasons. Exhaust gas emission values originating from ships occupy an important place in the emission amounts emitted by vehicles. Considering both emissions from ships and operational reasons, it is understood that air pollution can occur at levels that will seriously affect human health at port areas. Keeping these facts in mind, Trabzon port, which is considered to be a major threat to human life due to released exhaust gases because of being in the city center and one of the biggest ports in the region, was chosen in this study. Emissions originating from ship movements and operations at this port were measured, mapped and the flow trends of these emissions were determined by the AERMOD model and the effect on the environment was investigated. Within the scope of the study, the exhaust emission measurements of the ships and the vehicles serving for operational purposes were performed all the year round. Afterwards, the annual distribution of gases was determined by modeling the measured emissions with the AERMOD model program. As a result of the analyses, it was found out that a large part of the exhaust emissions occurring at the port area originated from the ships and the amount of CO2 gas emission constituted approximately 97% of the total exhaust gas emission. Also, it was determined that the exhaust gas emitted to the widest area was NOx and the gases emitted to the environment were spread over an area of approximately 40 km2 around the port area.