Reduce Sulfur Dioxide Emissions Research Articles

The response of streams in the Adirondack region of New York to projected changes in sulfur and nitrogen deposition under changing climate

Modeling studies project that in the future surface waters in the northeast US will continue to recover from acidification over decades following reductions in atmospheric sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions. However, these studies generally assume stationary climatic conditions over the simulation period and ignore the linkages between soil and surface water recovery from acid deposition and changing climate, despite fundamental impacts to watershed processes and comparable time scales for both phenomena. In this study, the integrated biogeochemical model PnET-BGC was applied to two montane forest watersheds in the Adirondack region of New York, USA to evaluate the recovery of surface waters from historical acidification in response to possible future changes in climate and atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition. Statistically downscaled climate scenarios on average project warmer temperatures and greater precipitation for the Adirondack by the end of the century. Model simulations suggest under constant climate, acid-sensitive Buck Creek would gain 12.8 μeq L−1 of acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) by 2100 from large reductions in deposition, whereas acid insensitive Archer Creek is projected to gain 7.9 μeq L−1 of ANC. However, climate change could limit those improvements in acid-base status. Under climate change, a negative offset relative to the ANC increases with no climate change are projected for both streams by 2100. In acid-insensitive Archer Creek the negative offset (−8.5 μeq L−1) was large enough that ANC is projected to decrease by −0.6 μeq L−1, whereas in acid-sensitive Buck Creek, the negative offset (−0.4 μeq L−1) resulted in a slight decline of the projected future ANC increase to 12.4 μeq L−1. Calculated target loads for 2150 for both sites decreased when future climate change was considered in model simulations, which suggests further reductions in acid deposition may be necessary to restore ecosystem structure and function under a changing climate.

Evaluation of shallow geothermal energy resources in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Plain based on land use

To discover the characteristics, distribution and potential of shallow geothermal energy in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Plain area. This paper, based on a large amount of data collection and field investigations, evaluateed the shallow-layer geothermal energy in the study area through the analytic hierarchy process and comprehensive index method. Based on suitability zoning results superimposed with 1:100000 land use data, the study area is divided into encouraged, controlled, restricted and prospective mining areas regarding the development of shallow geothermal energy, and the economic availability of shallow geothermal energy in the encouraged and controlled areas are evaluated. The results show that the shallow geothermal energy in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Plain can meet the heating and cooling demand of 6×108 m2 of buildings, equivalent to 1.15×107 t of standard coal, thus reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 2.73×107 t and reducing sulfur dioxide emissions by 1.95×105 t. According to the development and utilization mode, the energy demand level and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development plan, the development and utilization of geothermal resources in the plain area has two types: Urban concentrated mining areas and rural scattered mining areas. The scale and level of intensive utilization of regional geothermal resources are of great significance.

Impact of regional Northern Hemisphere mid-latitude anthropogenic sulfur dioxide emissions on local and remote tropospheric oxidants

Abstract. The unintended consequences of reductions in regional anthropogenic sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions implemented to protect human health are poorly understood. SO2 decreases began in the 1970s in the US and Europe and are expected to continue into the future, while recent emissions decreases in China are also projected to continue. In addition to the well-documented climate effects (warming) from reducing aerosols, tropospheric oxidation is impacted via aerosol modification of photolysis rates and radical sinks. Impacts on the hydroxyl radical and other trace constituents directly affect climate and air quality metrics such as surface ozone levels. We use the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Atmospheric Model version 3 nudged towards National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis wind velocities to estimate the impact of SO2 emissions from the US, Europe, and China by differencing a control simulation with an otherwise identical simulation in which 2015 anthropogenic SO2 emissions are set to zero over one of the regions. Springtime sulfate aerosol changes occur both locally to the emission region and also throughout the Northern Hemispheric troposphere, including remote oceanic regions and the Arctic. Hydroperoxy (HO2) radicals are directly removed via heterogeneous chemistry on aerosol surfaces, including sulfate, in the model, and we find that sulfate aerosol produced by SO2 emissions from the three individual northern mid-latitude regions strongly reduces both HO2 and hydroxyl (OH) by up to 10 % year-round throughout most of the troposphere north of 30∘ N latitude. Regional SO2 emissions significantly increase nitrogen oxides (NOx) by about 5 %–8 % throughout most of the free troposphere in the Northern Hemisphere by increasing the NOx lifetime as the heterogeneous sink of HO2 on sulfate aerosol declines. Despite the NOx increases, tropospheric ozone decreases at northern mid-latitudes by 1 %–4 % zonally averaged and by up to 5 ppbv in summertime surface air over China, where the decreases in HO2 and OH suppress O3 production. Since 2015 anthropogenic SO2 emissions in China exceed those in the US or Europe, the oxidative response is greatest for the China perturbation simulation. Chemical effects of aerosols on oxidation (reactive uptake) dominate over radiative effects (photolysis rates), the latter of which are only statistically significant locally for the large perturbation over China. We find that the SO2 emissions decrease in China, which has yet to be fully realized, will have the largest impact on oxidants and related species in the Northern Hemisphere free troposphere compared to future decreases in Europe or the US. Our results bolster previous calls for a multipollutant strategy for air pollution mitigation to avoid the unintended consequence of aerosol removal leading to surface ozone increases that offset or mask surface ozone gains achieved by regulation of other pollutants, especially in countries where current usage of high-sulfur emitting fuels may be phased out in the future.

Does environmental information disclosure promote sulfur dioxide (SO2) remove？New evidence from 113 cities in China

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission reduction is one of the main goals of China environmental sustainable development. Environmental information disclosure, as a means of environmental regulation, have significant effect on SO2 removal rate. This paper uses the Pollution Information Transparency Index (PITI) of 113 cities in China from 2008 to 2017, jointly released by Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs and Natural Resources Defense Council, to empirically analyze the impact of pollution information transparency index on SO2 removal rate and its spatial spillover effect by employing fixed effect model and spatial Durbin model. Theoretically, environmental information disclosure will exhibit a positive effect on SO2 removal of the local city through the “target accountability” and “backward forcing effect”, and displays a spatial spillover effect on the surrounding cities through the “warning effect” and “learning effect”. The empirical results prove the theoretical analysis: (1) SO2 removal amount and emissions have a significant positive spatial correlation, show spatial agglomeration characteristics of “high-high” or “low-low”; (2) In the local city, pollution information transparency index shows a significant emission reduction effect, that is, it reduces the SO2 emission and improves SO2 removal rate; (3) There is a significant positive spatial spillover effect on the environmental information disclosure. A 1% increase in pollution information transparency index of surrounding cities will contribute to the increase of SO2 removal rate of the local city by about 0.959%, which verifies the “warning effect” and “learning effect”; (4) Further analysis verdicts that environmental information disclosure also has emission reduction effect on other industrial pollutants, and instrumental variable model and robustness test support the above conclusions. This paper provides theoretical and empirical support for the construction of environmental information disclosure system.

Revealing the sulfur dioxide emission reductions in China by assimilating surface observations in WRF-Chem

Abstract. The anthropogenic emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) over China has significantly declined as a consequence of the clean air actions. In this study, we have developed a new emission inversion system based on a four-dimensional local ensemble transform Kalman filter (4D-LETKF) and the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) to dynamically update the SO2 emission grid by grid over China by assimilating the ground-based hourly SO2 observations. Sensitivity tests for the assimilation system have been conducted firstly to tune four system parameters: ensemble size, horizontal and temporal localization lengths, and perturbation size. Our results reveal that the same random perturbation factors used throughout the whole model grids with assimilating observations within about 180 km can efficiently optimize the SO2 emission, whereas the ensemble size has only little effect. The temporal localization by assimilating only the subsequent hourly observations can reveal the diurnal variation of the SO2 emission, which is better than updating the magnitude of SO2 emission every 12 h by assimilating all the observations within the 12 h window. The inverted SO2 emission over China in November 2016 has declined by an average of 49.4 % since 2010, which is well in agreement with the bottom-up estimation of 48.0 %. Larger reductions of SO2 emission are found over the a priori higher source regions such as the Yangtze River Delta (YRD). The simulated SO2 surface mass concentrations using two distinguished chemical reaction mechanisms are both much more comparable to the observations with the newly inverted SO2 emission than those with the a priori emission. These indicate that the newly developed emission inversion system can efficiently update the SO2 emissions based on the routine surface SO2 observations. The reduced SO2 emission induces the sulfate and PM2.5 surface concentrations to decrease by up to 10 µg m−3 over central China.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission reduction and its spatial spillover effect in high-tech industries: based on panel data from 30 provinces in China.

Industrial sulfur dioxide (SO2) has become an important source of environmental pollution in China, and the regional SO2 emission reduction capacity is a comprehensive reflection of cleaner production capacity, environmental regulation, and economic development. It is obvious that high-tech industries play a crucial role in promoting the cleaner production capacity of the whole industry. Simultaneously, only considering the regional emission and the development of high-tech industry in isolation may deviate from actual economic characteristics. Therefore, by using the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2005 to 2016, this paper adopts spatial autoregression model (SAR), spatial error model (SEM), and spatial Durbin model (SDM) to analyze the effect of the high-tech industry development on SO2 emission reduction under the spatial adjacency matrix (W1), geographic distance matrix (W2), and economic distance matrix (W3). In addition, this paper selects three indicators, which is SO2 removal rate, SO2 emission, and SO2 removal quantity, as explanatory variables, and R&D investment and number of enterprises in high-tech industry are selected to represent the industrial development level. The major conclusions are as follows: (1) The ability of SO2 emission reduction in the local province is significantly affected by the surrounding provinces, showing the agglomeration characteristics of "high-high" or "low-low." (2) The R&D investment of high-tech industry has a negative impact on SO2 removal rate and SO2 removal quantity, but a positive effect on the SO2 emissions for the local province, and has a positive effect on the emission reduction of surrounding provinces. (3) The expansion of high-tech industry has significantly improved the SO2 emission reduction capacity of the local province and its surrounding provinces. The robustness test supports the empirical conclusions of this paper. Finally, this paper puts forward some policy suggestions for government in environmental governance, such as "joint prevention and control" and the promotion of cleaner production.

Predicting changes in the sulfur content during steam coal preparation and the level of sulfur dioxide emissions when its combustion

Purpose. Development of a method and forecast estimation of sulfur dioxide emission reduction during combustion of steam coal by regulating its quality during coal preparation. Methodology. Study on sulfur content in coal using sieve, fractional analysis, analysis of ash and total sulfur content. Forecasting of sulfur content in concentrate according to the developed calculation method. Production tests at the coal preparation plant. Forecasting of the level of SO2 emissions during pulverized coal combustion according to the developed calculation method. Findings. The distribution of sulfur content of Ukrainian steam bituminous coal by size classes depending on ash content is investigated; the proximity of sulfur content to the linear dependance on the ash content of the run-of-mine coal, rock-free substance, rock and concentrate is proved. The calculations of the level of SO2 emissions during pulverized combustion of coal and its cleaned products taking into account their elemental composition is performed, and the linear dependence of the level of SO2 emissions on the total sulfur content to lower heating value (LHV) ratio is proved. Based on the obtained results, methods are developed for determining the expected sulfur content in the concentrate and the forecasted level of SO2 emissions during its combustion; the optimal depth of preparation for the coal from various mines is determined by the criterion of compliance of the SO2 emission level with the current environmental standards. Originality. Proximity of the sulfur content to the linear dependence on the ash content of the run-of-mine coal, rock-free substance, rock and concentrate is proved. The linear dependence of the level of SO2 emissions on the ratio of the total sulfur content to LHV during pulverized combustion of coal and its clean products is proved. Practical value. A method has been developed for determining the expected sulfur content in the products of coal preparation by jigging, taking into account the allowable content of the high-density fraction in the concentrate and adding dense slimes to the coal preparation products. A method has been developed for determining the predicted level of SO2 emissions during their combustion. The optimal depth of the coal preparation for coal from various mines has been determined by the criterion of compliance of the level of SO2 emissions with the current environmental standards.

ЩОДО ВИМІРЮВАННЯ ВМІСТУ МОНОЕТАНОЛАМІНУ ПРИ КОНТРОЛЮВАННІ ТЕХНОЛОГІЧНОГО ПРОЦЕСУ СІРКООЧИЩЕННЯ ТА В ОБ’ЄКТАХ ДОВКІЛЛЯ

The problem of cleaning coke oven gas from sulfur compounds, despite their recent decrease in the raw material base of coking, remains relevant in connection with the requirements to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. When using monoethanolamine for the purification of coke oven gas from sulfur compounds, production workers are faced with the problems of determining the exact concentration both in solutions and in coke oven gas and in environmental objects. The article provides an overview of the currently existing methods for the quantitative determination of the content of monoethanolamine in liquid and gaseous media. The results of studies of the possibility of their use in the conditions of by-product coke production are presented, directions of improvement of the known methods are determined in order to eliminate the influence of accompanying components inherent in by-product coke production (in particular, ammonia, amines, phenols, etc.), which distort the analysis results. The authors describe the methods of increasing the selectivity of analytical methods for determining the content of monoethanolamine in: – coke oven gas - based on the absorption of the test substance from coke oven gas by a solution of orthoboric acid, followed by its determination in a solution with pnitrophenyldiazonium; – the air of the working area under the conditions of by-product coke production - it was proposed to eliminate the negative effect of hydrogen sulfide and phenol using an absorber containing a sodium hydroxide solution located in front of the absorber with a hydrochloric acid solution for monoethanolamine (a revised measurement procedure with additions set out in accordance with the requirements of the current legislation in the field of metrology and established metrological characteristics, agreed by the Chief Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine). The directions of research necessary for the development of a method for determining the content of monoethanolamine in process waters of coke-chemical production are outlined. Keywords: desulfurization, monoethanolamine, content determination, selectivity, ammonia, p-nitrophenyldiazonium, coke oven gas, complex compound, color intensity, photometry, measurements. Corresponding author A.Yu. Martynova, e-mail: alla_martynova_aisim@ukr.net

ЩОДО ВИМІРЮВАННЯ ВМІСТУ МОНОЕТАНОЛАМІНУ ПРИ КОНТРОЛЮВАННІ ТЕХНОЛОГІЧНОГО ПРОЦЕСУ СІРКООЧИЩЕННЯ ТА В ОБ’ЄКТАХ ДОВКІЛЛЯ

The problem of cleaning coke oven gas from sulfur compounds, despite their recent decrease in the raw material base of coking, remains relevant in connection with the requirements to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. When using monoethanolamine for the purification of coke oven gas from sulfur compounds, production workers are faced with the problems of determining the exact concentration both in solutions and in coke oven gas and in environmental objects. The article provides an overview of the currently existing methods for the quantitative determination of the content of monoethanolamine in liquid and gaseous media. The results of studies of the possibility of their use in the conditions of by-product coke production are presented, directions of improvement of the known methods are determined in order to eliminate the influence of accompanying components inherent in by-product coke production (in particular, ammonia, amines, phenols, etc.), which distort the analysis results. The authors describe the methods of increasing the selectivity of analytical methods for determining the content of monoethanolamine in: – coke oven gas - based on the absorption of the test substance from coke oven gas by a solution of orthoboric acid, followed by its determination in a solution with pnitrophenyldiazonium; – the air of the working area under the conditions of by-product coke production - it was proposed to eliminate the negative effect of hydrogen sulfide and phenol using an absorber containing a sodium hydroxide solution located in front of the absorber with a hydrochloric acid solution for monoethanolamine (a revised measurement procedure with additions set out in accordance with the requirements of the current legislation in the field of metrology and established metrological characteristics, agreed by the Chief Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine). The directions of research necessary for the development of a method for determining the content of monoethanolamine in process waters of coke-chemical production are outlined. Keywords: desulfurization, monoethanolamine, content determination, selectivity, ammonia, p-nitrophenyldiazonium, coke oven gas, complex compound, color intensity, photometry, measurements. Corresponding author A.Yu. Martynova, e-mail: alla_martynova_aisim@ukr.net

Regional disparities in emissions reduction and net trade from renewables

Operational constraints of the power system and inter-regional trade of electricity make it challenging to predetermine the reduction in emissions from the integration of solar and wind power. Using spatially resolved historical data for solar and wind generation, fossil fuel-based generation, emissions and exports, we isolate the impacts of renewable integration for multiple regions spanning the United States. Here we show regional differences for the reduction of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions, with a wider range of outcomes for regional wind power. Given the heterogeneity in transmission infrastructure, some regions have limited capacity to increase electricity exports to neighbouring regions. For both solar and wind generation, we identify the regions that retain nearly all of the emissions reductions locally and those that increase net exports, reducing emissions in neighbouring regions. Our results show lower rates of emissions mitigation than previous studies that relied on less-contemporary data or utilized simulated renewable generation. These differences may reflect the longer-term trends in power-sector emissions reductions and the importance of utilizing observed renewable generation data. An analysis of spatially explicit historical data shows notable regional differences in the benefits in reduced emissions from integrating renewable energy across the United States.

Health Impact of Air Pollution from Shipping in the Baltic Sea: Effects of Different Spatial Resolutions in Sweden.

In 2015, stricter regulations to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions and particulate air pollution from shipping were implemented in the Baltic Sea. We investigated the effects on population exposure to particles <2.5 µm (PM2.5) from shipping and estimated related morbidity and mortality in Sweden’s 21 counties at different spatial resolutions. We used a regional model to estimate exposure in Sweden and a city-scale model for Gothenburg. Effects of PM2.5 exposure on total mortality, ischemic heart disease, and stroke were estimated using exposure–response functions from the literature and combining them into disability-adjusted life years (DALYS). PM2.5 exposure from shipping in Gothenburg decreased by 7% (1.6 to 1.5 µg/m3) using the city-scale model, and 35% (0.5 to 0.3 µg/m3) using the regional model. Different population resolutions had no effects on population exposures. In the city-scale model, annual premature deaths due to shipping PM2.5 dropped from 97 with the high-sulfur scenario to 90 in the low-sulfur scenario, and in the regional model from 32 to 21. In Sweden, DALYs lost due to PM2.5 from Baltic Sea shipping decreased from approximately 5700 to 4200. In conclusion, sulfur emission restrictions for shipping had positive effects on health, but the model resolution affects estimations.

Spatial and temporal variations of atmospheric chemical condition in the Southeastern U.S.

Animal feeding operations (AFOs) are the largest ammonia (NH3) emission sources in the United States (U.S.). However, the impact of NH3 emissions from AFOs on the formation of secondary inorganic PM2.5 (iPM2.5) has not been well understood and systematically assessed. Under the Southeastern Aerosol Research and Characterization (SEARCH) Network, the hourly concentrations of iPM2.5 chemical compositions and its precursor gases as well as meteorological data were measured at eight urban/nonurban sites labeled as JST/YRK, BHM/CTR, GFP/OAK, and PNS/OLF during 1998–2016. Using the SEARCH data, this research investigated the spatiotemporal variations of atmospheric chemical conditions in those rural and urban areas. The spatiotemporal variations of atmospheric chemical conditions at the eight sites are characterized by four parameters, including (1) gas ratio (GR), (2) gas-phase NH3 molar fraction (NH3/NHx), (3) total available NH3 (gaseous ammonia + aerosol ammonium) to sulfate (SO42−) molar ratio (TA/TS), and (4) PM2.5 ammonium + nitrate to total PM2.5 mass ratio (AN/PM2.5). Results indicate that the NH3 emissions from AFOs may explain the greater values of GR, NH3/NHx, and TA/TS in the wind directions coming from AFOs at YRK and OAK rural sites than the other wind directions. In the wind directions coming from AFOs at YRK and OAK, NH3 was in excess of fully neutralizing acidic gases, more NH3 stayed in gas phase than those in other wind directions, and both ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate existed in iPM2.5. The upward trend in NH3/NHx indicates that gas-particle partitioning ofNH3–NH4+shifted toward gas phase, while the downward trend in AN/PM2.5 may implicate that smaller fraction of PM2.5 was directly NH3 sensitive. Understanding of the spatiotemporal variations of atmospheric chemical condition provides insights to improve our understanding of iPM2.5 formation under rural and urban conditions, the reduction in sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions resulted in the reduction of iPM2.5 formation despite the increase in NH3 emissions in the Southeastern U.S.

Target Interactions and Target Aspiration Level Adaptation: How Do Government Leaders Tackle the “Environment‐Economy” Nexus?

AbstractHow do local governments set performance targets under multi‐task conditions? This article builds a theoretical linkage between environmental targets and gross domestic product (GDP) growth goals in China. Treating environmental protection and economic development as competitive tasks in China, the author argues that environmental targets constrain GDP growth goals and that this negative relationship is weakened by relative pollutant emission efficiency. The article empirically examines these theoretical hypotheses using a panel data set of sulfur dioxide emission reduction targets and GDP growth goals across Chinese provinces. The statistical findings support these arguments and help elucidate the “black box” of decision‐making in the public sector.Evidence for Practice High pollutant emission reduction pressure can lower provincial leaders' expectations of economic growth in China. The improvement in pollutant emission efficiency weakens the constraint of pollutant emission reduction pressure on expectations of economic growth. Government leaders should improve pollutant emission efficiency to achieve a win‐win situation for economic growth and pollution control.

Економічні аспекти впровадження заходів зменшення викидів з димовими газами на ТЕС України

The results of technical and economic calculations of the implementation of environmental technologies at the existing power units of coal-fired TPPs in Ukraine are presented in accordance with the National Plan for Reducing Flue Gas Emissions. The following technologies for cleaning flue gases are considered: capture of solid particles – electrostatic filters and cloth filters; reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions – selective catalytic reduction and selective non-catalytic reduction; reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions – half-dry desulfurization, wet limestone desulfurization, and the latest integrated desulfurization. We calculate capital costs for each technology and total costs as well as changes in the cost of electric energy over the life cycle. We analyze investment expenditures and increase in the cost of electric energy at the implementation of technological measures for flue gases cleaning from the emissions of dust particles, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides at all power units of Ukrainian TPPs. It is shown that the introduction of technologies for flue gases cleaning from the main air pollutants requires significant investment in environmental measures. Finally, we determine variants of cleaning systems that are in good agreement with the European Community emission standards for the main pollutants and the most economical combination of different technologies, namely wet limestone for sulfur dioxide removal, electrostatic filter for dust removal, selective catalytic reduction for removal of nitrogen oxides.

Features of formation and reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions when burning brown coal in boilers with liquid slag removal

The paper considers the influence of technological factors (design of the boiler-unit, load, air excess, the number of working dust collecting systems) on the formation and reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions in boilers with liquid slag removal. Understanding of this influence can be used both at many operating heat and power sources, and in the development of new combustion technologies. The long-term experience of burning brown coals of the Kansk-Achinsk basin (KAC) at CHPP-6 in Bratsk in boilers of the BKZ-320-140 PT type is studied and analyzed. The analysis uses the results of various thermodynamic and industrial studies of the sulfur dioxide formation during the combustion of KAC, including those carried out by the authors. They identified the temperature and structural zones of the boiler unit, where the resulting reaction of the sulfur dioxide transition to calcium sulfate occurs. It was found that such a zone is the upper part of the cooling chamber, where the indicated transition occurs at temperatures of 1500 ÷ 1400 K. It was found that SO2 emissions rise with an increase in the boiler load and air excess. They also depend on the number of dust systems and their combination (determining the turbulization of combustion processes). A technological mechanism for the sulfur dioxide transition to calcium sulfate for the operation of boilers with liquid slag removal is proposed. Regime and constructive measures are proposed to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide.

Impact of Reductions in Emissions from Major Source Sectors on Fine Particulate Matter-Related Cardiovascular Mortality.

Background:Reductions in ambient concentrations of fine particulate matter () have contributed to reductions in cardiovascular (CV) mortality.Objectives:We examined changes in CV mortality attributed to reductions in emissions from mobile, point, areal, and nonroad sources through changes in concentrations of and its major components [nitrates, sulfates, elemental carbon (EC), and organic carbon (OC)] in 2,132 U.S. counties between 1990 and 2010.Methods:Using Community Multiscale Air Quality model estimated total and component concentrations, we calculated population-weighted annual averages for each county. We estimated total- and component-related CV mortality, adjusted for county-level population characteristics and baseline concentrations. Using the index of Emission Mitigation Efficiency for primary emission-to-particle pathways, we expressed changes in particle-related mortality in terms of precursor emissions by each sector.Results: reductions represented 5.7% of the overall decline in CV mortality. Large point source emissions of sulfur dioxide accounted for 6.685 [95% confidence interval (CI): 5.703, 7.667] fewer sulfate-related CV deaths per 100,000 people. Mobile source emissions of primary EC and nitrous oxides accounted for 3.396 (95% CI: 2.772, 4.020) and 3.984 (95% CI: 2.472, 5.496) fewer CV deaths per 100,000 people respectively. Increased EC and OC emissions from areal sources increased carbon-related CV mortality by 0.788 (95% CI: , 2.116) and 0.245 (95% CI: , 1.187) CV deaths per 100,000 people.Discussion:In a nationwide epidemiological study of emission sector contribution to –related mortality, we found that reductions in sulfur-dioxide emissions from large point sources and nitrates and EC emissions from mobile sources contributed the largest reduction in particle-related mortality rates respectively. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5692

Identifying Driving Factors of Jiangsu's Regional Sulfur Dioxide Emissions: A Generalized Divisia Index Method.

The Chinese government has made some good achievements in reducing sulfur dioxide emissions through end-of-pipe treatment. However, in order to implement the stricter target of sulfur dioxide emission reduction during the 13th “Five-Year Plan” period, it is necessary to find a new solution as quickly as possible. Thus, it is of great practical significance to identify driving factors of regional sulfur dioxide emissions to formulate more reasonable emission reduction policies. In this paper, a distinctive decomposition approach, the generalized Divisia index method (GDIM), is employed to investigate the driving forces of regional industrial sulfur dioxide emissions in Jiangsu province and its three regions during 2004–2016. The contribution rates of each factor to emission changes are also assessed. The decomposition results demonstrate that: (i) the factors promoting the increase of industrial sulfur dioxide emissions are the economic scale effect, industrialization effect, and energy consumption effect, while technology effect, energy mix effect, sulfur efficiency effect, energy intensity effect, and industrial structure effect play a mitigating role in the emissions; (ii) energy consumption effect, energy mix effect, technology effect, sulfur efficiency effect, and industrial structure effect show special contributions in some cases; (iii) industrial structure effect and energy intensity effect need to be further optimized.

Spatial and temporal variations of PM2.5 mass closure and inorganic PM2.5 in the Southeastern U.S.

Fine particulate matter (i.e., PM2.5) has gained extensive attention owing to its adverse effects. The impacts of PM2.5 may vary in time and space due to the spatiotemporal variations of PM2.5 number size distribution and chemical compositions. This research analyzed the latest PM2.5 chemical compositions measurements with an aim to better understand the dynamic changes of PM2.5 in response to emission reductions due to the new regulations. The particulate measurements from the Southeastern Aerosol Research and Characterization (SEARCH) network between 2001 and 2016 were analyzed for the spatiotemporal variations of PM2.5 and inorganic PM2.5 (iPM2.5 = SO42- + NH4+ + NO3-) chemical compositions in the Southeastern United States (U.S.). It was discovered that PM2.5 and iPM2.5 mass concentrations exhibited significant downward trends in 2001-2016. Both PM2.5 and iPM2.5 mass concentrations were higher at urban and inland sites than rural/suburban and coastal sites. The higher iPM2.5 concentrations at agricultural sites were attributed to the influences of ammonia (NH3) emissions from animal feeding operations (AFOs). The iPM2.5 was the dominant contributor to PM2.5 in 2001-2016 at the coastal sites, whereas organic carbon matter (OCM) was the major contributor to PM2.5 after 2011 at the inland sites. Our data analysis suggests that significant decrease of PM2.5 concentrations is attributed to the reductions in nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions in 2001-2016. Findings from this research provide insights into the development of effective PM2.5 control strategies and assessment of air pollutants exposure.

Experimental study and parametric analysis of SO2 capture in limestone fixed bed reactor

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe use of absorbents, based on calcium, for the reduction of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from power plants has been studied for the last 90 years. The present work is part of a research project, which aims at the development of a fixed and a moving bed limestone filter. A filter is placed after the burning, in order to capture SO2 from the flue gases of pulverized lignite combustors. An experimental study and a parametric analysis in a limestone and lignite fixed bed reactor for SO2 capture were conducted in previous works.RESULTSThis work studies experimentally the SO2 capture by analyzing the following parameters: inlet mole fraction of SO2, inlet mole fraction of O2, volumetric flow rate, average temperature in bed, type of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and length of the solid bed. Under specific circumstances, conversion of SO2 values were found to be greater than 0.99 in the gas outlet for more than 110 min.CONCLUSIONUseful conclusions are drawn regarding the behavior of a fixed bed reactor in different conditions. The results highlight the importance of technological interest in the dry process for SO2 capture. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

Accountability Assessment of Health Improvements in the United States Associated with Reduced Coal Emissions Between 2005 and 2012.

National, state, and local policies contributed to a 65% reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants between 2005 and 2012 in the United States, providing an opportunity to directly quantify public health benefits attributable to these reductions under an air pollution accountability framework. We estimate ZIP code-level changes in two different-but related-exposure metrics: total PM2.5 concentrations and exposure to coal-fired power plant emissions. We associate changes in 10 health outcome rates among approximately 30 million US Medicare beneficiaries with exposure changes between 2005 and 2012 using two difference-in-difference regression approaches designed to mitigate observed and unobserved confounding. Rates per 10,000 person-years of six cardiac and respiratory health outcomes-all cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, cardiovascular stroke, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and respiratory tract infections-decreased by between 7.89 and 1.95 per (Equation is included in full-text article.)decrease in PM2.5, with comparable decreases in coal exposure leading to slightly larger rate decreases. Results for acute myocardial infarction, heart rhythm disorders, and peripheral vascular disease were near zero and/or mixed between the various exposure metrics and analyses. A secondary analysis found that nonlinearities in relationships between changing health outcome rates and coal exposure may explain differences in their associations. The direct analyses of emissions reductions estimate substantial health benefits via coal power plant emission and PM2.5 concentration reductions. Differing responses associated with changes in the two exposure metrics underscore the importance of isolating source-specific impacts from those due to total PM2.5 exposure.