Residue Burning Research Articles

Synthesis and characterization of bentonite-based lightweight ceramic aggregates using coal combustion residue and kerosene bloating agent

Coal combustion residue (CCR) is an industrial by-product that has been widely adopted in civil engineering applications. However, a significant portion of CCR is still left unused around the world. This study investigates the feasibility of incorporating CCR into ceramic aggregates to enhance their engineering properties. Through a combination of kerosene as a bloating agent and CCR addition, the study demonstrates significant improvements in ceramic aggregate properties. Particle strength ranged from 0.33 to 8.53 MPa, with density variations between 0.39 and 0.95 g/cm³. Additionally, the additives also promoted the crystallization process, as shown by the increase in crystallinity from 40.67% to 61.87%. This was confirmed by the X-ray diffraction analysis, which revealed the changes in the mineral composition and crystallinity due to the additives. Furthermore, the micro and macro pores of bentonite profoundly influence the bloating process of aggregate, contributing to the formation of a well-distributed porous structure in ceramic pellets. The resulting ceramic aggregate exhibited favorable strength-to-density ratios suitable for both structural and non-structural concrete applications. This research highlights the potential of CCR utilization in ceramic aggregates, offering sustainable solutions for the construction industry while mitigating waste disposal concerns.

Assessing the impact of alkali pretreatment of rice husk on its composition and product portfolio: Tradeoff between biogas and valuable materials recovery for sustainability

The burning of agricultural crop residues has evolved into a significant global issue with far-reaching implications for public health and environmental integrity. Utilizing biochemical methodologies to valorize these residues presents a dual advantage, mitigating disposal challenges while concurrently fostering wealth generation through bioenergy production and the creation of value-added materials. Nevertheless, the biodegradation of residues faces impediments due to the presence of recalcitrant silica and lignin. To assess the efficacy and elucidate the performance of biochemical approaches, this study investigates the impact of NaOH treatment (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% w/v) on rice husk (RH) at 90 °C for 2 h initially followed by anaerobic digestion (AD) for biogas generation. This recovers silica, yielding residual pulp devoid of lignin, a raw material for biogas generation. Analytical investigation through FE-SEM reveals mild fissures and surface ruptures in 4% NaOH-treated RH, while XRD shows a crystallinity index increase from 43.3% (untreated RH) to 69.4% (NaOH-treated RH). The optimal NaOH concentration, yielding 0.16 g/g of silica and 0.206 L/g VSadded of biogas is 4%. These results highlight tailored NaOH's potential for enhancing silica recovery and biogas production from RH. Spearman's correlation analysis reveals a strong correlation (0.9–1.0) among the reduction in volatile solids (VS %), total solids (TS %), methane yield (mL/g VSadded), and biogas yield (mL/g VSadded). P values for artificial neural network (ANN) and fuzzy models consistently range from 10−4 to 10−19. Achieving sustainability necessitates balancing the trade-off between maximizing biogas production and optimizing silica recovery for an environmentally sound and efficient system.

Rubber-based phosphaphenanthrene grafted polymer and its application to fabricate flame retardant polycarbonate blend with satisfied comprehensive mechanical properties

Grafting flame retardant groups onto common polymer molecule can be a good strategy to constructing superior flame retardant macromolecules, which provides a promising direction to fabricate fire safety polymer materials with satisfied comprehensive mechanical properties. In this thesis, a rubber-based phosphaphenanthrene grafted polymeric molecule (P-SBS) was synthesized via the grafting reaction of 9, 10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) with thermoplastic styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer (SBS), and then applied to melt blending with polycarbonate (PC) to form P-SBS/PC blend with sea-island structure. The incorporated P-SBS not only brought PC much higher comprehensive flame retardancy, including higher limited oxygen index, shorter self-extinguishing time, less heat release during burning process, higher-quality char layer structure, and fewer amount of flammable volatile emission; but also endowed it with more satisfied comprehensive mechanical properties, including larger elongation at break, better anti-impact, higher flexural strength, and maintained tensile strength. By analysing burning residue, tracking thermal decomposition volatile emission, and inferring the pyrolysis route of P-SBS, the gas- and condensed-phase flame retardant mechanisms of P-SBS in suppressing the flammability of PC matrix were disclosed. The morphology analysis on the matrix fracture section and the embeded P-SBS particles before and after mechanical fracture, revealed the behavioral mechanism of P-SBS particles in improving the ductility, toughness, and stiffness of PC matrix. This study provides a beneficial reference to superior flame retardant molecule constructing and advanced flame retardant polymer material manufacturing.

Detecting and quantifying zero tillage technology adoption in Indian smallholder systems using Sentinel-2 multi-spectral imagery

Zero tillage (ZT), an important component of Conservation Agriculture, has enormous potential to curb emissions from residue burning, increase soil organic carbon and water retention, reduce land preparation costs and increase the long-term productivity and profitability of the farming system. Despite the promise of ZT, little is known about how widely it has been adopted at regional scales in smallholder systems, where management is heterogeneous. Identifying ZT diffusion patterns across space and time along with other popular tillage technologies, such as conventional tillage (CT) and shallow tillage (ST), helps to target and disseminate the most effective technologies and estimate their climate change mitigation potential. Acknowledging the complexities involved in distinguishing ZT from CT and ST in smallholder fields, this study utilized an innovative two-step change detection method leveraging early-season Sentinel-2 multi-spectral imagery. We developed and applied our model in the Indian state of Punjab over three years (2020–2022). Our method outperformed traditional binary classification models, achieving 81 % accuracy. The analysis indicated that areas under different tillage types changed over time across Punjab. Specifically, from 2020 to 2021, we found a 33 % and 4 % decrease in ZT and CT, respectively. However, a 29 % increase is observed in CT adoption. On the other hand, from 2021 to 2022, the adoption rates for ZT and CT increased by 18 % and 2 %, respectively, while ST adoption decreased by 12 %. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential use of early season Sentinel-2 imagery to map the adoption of tillage practices in smallholder systems. Our approach can provide large-scale information on technology uptake, aiding policies to implement carbon markets and the scaling up of sustainable agricultural practices in India.

Agricultural Solid Waste and its Management: An Overview

Waste is one of the most pressing issues of the present time. Its effects seemed so drastic that concerns about its proper management raised questions around the globe. The major areas of developing and underdeveloped countries are used for agriculture and allied activities. Most of the waste generated in a country comprisesd agricultural wastes, most of which are solid. There is an urgent need to manage this agricultural waste to avoid environmental degradation and mitigate its ill effects on human and animal health. It was found that vermicomposting seemed to be by far the most affordable and quickest method of agricultural solid waste management. It also describes the problem of crop residue burning, which is quite prevalent in developing countries like India. It was also seen that the respective central and state governments must frame specific policies and laws for agricultural waste management. As agricultural solid wastes have good re-use and conversion potential, and it was suggested that suitable measures that can be taken to implement sustainable management of agricultural solid wastes.

Residual Effects of Microbial Treated Paddy Residues Applied to Zero Till Maize on Growth and Yield of Summer Greengram

Background: Farmers’ conventional tillage and residue removal practices in rice-maize-greengram systems in India are input-intensive, costly and soil degradative. A number of soil quality issues have emerged due to continuous cropping and burning of residues threatening the sustainability of rice based cropping systems for the last more than four decades. Nevertheless, the in-situ or in-field decomposition of crop residue using microbial inoculum is rarely studied. This necessitated the use of microbial consortia developed by a combination of potent strains of fungi which can perform harmoniously for rapid decomposition of crop residues. Methods: A field experiment was conducted during 2020-21 and 2021-22 with eight residue-management treatments and three fertility levels to zero till maize at college farm, Rajendranagar, PJTSAU using strip plot design and the residual effect on the succeeding greengram was studied. Result: Greengram growth and yield were significantly higher under residual effect of incorporation of residues treated with microbial consortia consisting of Trichoderma viridae, Aspergillus awamori and Phanerocheate spp. along with 300:100:100 kg ha-1 of N, P2O5 and K2O (125% RDF) and P supplied in the form of single super phosphate (SSP) under zero tillage during summer, 2021 and 2022. Growth parameters like plant height, leaf area index, dry matter production and yield attributes like number of pods plant-1, pod length and number of seeds pod-1 in greengram were higher under residue incorporated plots compared to residue burning, removal and retention plots with 125% RDF.

Assessing the ignition and combustion of a kerosene droplet containing boron nanoparticles coated with polydopamine and polyvinylidene fluoride

In this study, how the coating of polydopamine (PDA) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) on boron particles affects the ignition and combustion characteristics of kerosene droplets was investigated. In this work, PVDF was first coated onto boron nanoparticles using PDA as a binder to form double-coated composite particles (denoted as B@PF), and then the B@PF particles were blended into kerosene to produce nanofluidic fuels. Various characterization techniques were used to evaluate the ignition and combustion performance of the B@PF composites and the nanofuel droplets, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), laser ignition testing, and single droplet combustion experiments. The results showed that the PDA coating could effectively prevent the moisture absorption of the particles in ambient air and increase the heat release by 42.97 %, while the PVDF coating would have a negative impact on the energy properties of the particles. Pure B particles have the lowest spectral intensity under laser light, which is consistent with the DSC results. The addition of pure B particles to kerosene reduced the ignition delay time by nearly 86 %, while the PVDF coating could enhance the droplet heat transfer to further reduce the ignition delay time. However, the increase in PVDF content negatively affects the combustion rate of the droplets by decreasing the energy properties of the particles. In the final residue combustion stage, the reaction between PVDF and B2O3 increases the burning intensity of the B particles and reduces the size of the combustion residue. Based on the experimental results, a comprehensive model for the ignition, combustion and residue burning of droplets coated with both PDA and PVDF is proposed.

Soil Carbon: Pool, Loss, Emission and Climate Change Sources and Knowledge Level of Some Land Use Systems in Sudan Savanna, Kwara State

This research work was carried out in Sudan savanna of Kwara State to determine the effects of land use types on soil carbon pool, loss, emission and to determine the farmer’s knowledge level and sources of information on climate change. Six villages were selected randomly and in each Local Government Area, three villages were visited and three farms planted each with maize/cassava intercrop, cashew plantation and natural forest were sampled. Soil samples were collected from the farmland randomly at the depth of 0–20cm and analysed for physical and chemical properties in the laboratory. Carbon pool index was higher under cashew plantation. The mass of carbon lost recorded was higher under maize/cassava intercrop and cashew plantation recorded the lowest mass of carbon lost. Equivalent Carbon dioxide emitted recorded was lower under cashew plantation and maize/cassava intercrop recorded higher equivalent of carbon dioxide emitted. Natural forest had the highest organic carbon. Simple random sampling of 126 respondents were interviewed. Results revealed majority (71.4%) are willing to invest in residue retention and 92.9% are willing to engage in climate change mitigation practices free of charge. Maize/cassava intercrop recorded the lowest carbon pool due to burning of plant residues and the use of tillage practices. The highest carbon pool index recorded under cashew plantation was due to leaves litter decomposition. Carbon emitted was generally higher under maize/cassava intercrop as a result of continuous and vigorous cultivation leading to loss of carbon. Some farmers are not fully aware of climate change mitigation practices, therefore, more observation should be given to afforestation scheme to mitigate climate change and government and nongovernmental organization (NGOs) should educate and encourage farmers to practice crop residue retention and also minimize bush burning.

Food shortage driven crop residue burning and health risk

Ending global hunger is one of the greatest challenges humanity faces. The second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 2), Zero Hunger, seeks to simultaneously address global environmental sustainability and food security challenges. However, ending hunger and food shortage would lead to the increase of agricultural activities and crop yields, which in turn might rise crop residue biomass burning, leading to adverse environmental and health consequences. This study estimated the health risk using modeled airborne benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a common indicator of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) released from crop residue biomass burning, and demonstrated the dependence of incremental lifetime lung cancer risk (ILCR) on the prevalence of undernourishment (PoU). Results showed that 10.4% of the global population are exposed to BaP concentration levels exceeding the EU target value (1 ng/m3) due to crop residue burning. The dependence of ILCR on PoU was attributed to increasing post-harvest crop residue biomass burning consequent to growing crop yield motivated by food shortage. Although global mean ILCR from crop residue burning BaP emission was positively correlated with the mean PoU at a correlation coefficient of r = 0.87 (p < 0.0001), positive and negative associations between PoU and ILCR were found among different less-developed countries. Eighty-nine less-developed countries were clustered into five groups, and the response of each group's ILCR to their respective PoU was assessed, which was interpreted by a human development index (HDI) that measured key dimensions of human development. Results also revealed that sustainable agriculture and implementation of air emission control measures play key roles in the association between hunger and ILCR.

Dissolved black carbon mediated photo-transformation of tetrachlorantraniliprole: Kinetics, pathways, and adverse effects of the photoproduct

The combustion of agricultural and forestry residues, along with subsequent runoff, can lead to the production of a significant quantities of dissolved black carbon (DBC), which plays a pivotal role in the photo-transformation of organic pesticides. As a result, the photochemical activity of DBC and its associated photo-transformation mechanisms must elucidate. This study investigated the effect of DBC on tetrachlorantraniliprole (TCTP) photo-transformation, a new type of pesticide independently developed and widely used in China, using photochemical simulation experiments. The results revealed that the prepared DBC had a smaller molecular weight and higher aromaticity, generating 3DBC*, ·OH, and 1O2, with apparent quantum yields of 4.75 × 10−2, 4.35 × 10−5, and 4.01 × 10−2, respectively. 3DBC* was the dominant intermediate reactive responsible for accelerating TCTP photolysis by determining its direct photolysis rate constant as 0.278 min−1. The degradation pathway of TCTP mainly involved nucleophilic substitution, dechlorination, and cleavage of the C–N bond. Notably, TCTP can photo-generate the cross-condensation products only in the presence of DBC. Ecotoxicity and organ-specific toxicity analysis demonstrated reduced environmental risks compared to TCTP for both direct photoproducts, as well as those mediated by DBC. These findings highlighted how DBC altered the photo-transformation pathway leading to decreased environmental risk-associated amide pesticides.

Comparative radiative property measurements of single biomass and coal particles burning at high reactor temperatures

This research measured the emissivity, temperature and soot loading of pulverized bituminous coal and three types of renewable biomass. Combustion occurred in a laboratory-scale drop tube furnace (DTF), where the fuels experienced high heating rates and ignited and burned in two distinct phases: devolatilization accompanied by volatile matter combustion in envelope flames, and sequential combustion of the char residues. Multi-wavelength spectrometry was used to concurrently determine the emissivity and the temperature of burning particles at discrete points in their history. Three-wavelength pyrometry was used to obtain entire temperature-time histories, and high-speed photography was used to provide both visual observations of phenomena and to obtain two-dimensional temperature distributions. Results showed that soot in volatile matter flames of burning single particles of the bituminous coal and of the three types of torrefied biomass had spectral emissivities in the range of 0.03–0.10, in the wavelength domain of 600–1000 nm. Emissivities were nearly constant with wavelength, i.e., soot mantles in these flames radiated as graybodies. Spectral emissivities of the chars of the bituminous coal and the three types of torrefied biomass were in the range of 0.29–0.5 and varied with wavelength, i.e., they radiated as non-graybodies. The highest measured temperatures of soot in volatile flames for all fuels were between 2150 and 2360 K and maximum temperatures of chars were between 1700 and 2000 K, based on the three measurement techniques. The graybody assumption caused negligible (± 10 K) deviations in volatile matter flame temperatures; however, it caused significant deviations (± 20–100 K) in char temperatures. Envelope flame diameters of torrefied biomass particles were larger than those of coal. To the contrary, soot volume fractions in the envelope flames of coal particles were found to be higher than those in biomass particle flames. Finally, the soot volume fractions in the flames of these fuels were inversely proportional to particle size.

Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainable Stubble Management in Punjab: A Review

The review highlights the situation of paddy stubble farming in Punjab, where farmers aim to prevent environmental harm by avoiding crop residue burning. Despite this intent, challenges such as insufficient machinery and lack of crop insurance hinder their transition to sustainable practices. Punjab, a key agricultural region in India, faces issues like air pollution and environmental degradation due to stubble burning. Farmers increasingly recognize these problems and are willing to explore alternatives. Farmers in Punjab are committed to adopting sustainable practices to minimize stubble burning's adverse effects on soil health and pollution. However, they face obstacles, notably the high cost and limited availability of necessary machinery such as happy seeders and mulchers, particularly affecting small-scale farmers. Additionally, inadequate crop insurance exacerbates the situation by failing to cover risks associated with stubble management, dissuading farmers from transitioning. To address these challenges, promoting accessible and affordable environmentally friendly machinery is crucial. Collaborative efforts between the government and private sector can facilitate this. Moreover, revising crop insurance policies to include stubble management risks will provide farmers with the confidence and financial security needed to adopt sustainable practices. Stakeholder collaboration is essential to create a supportive environment for farmers, enabling Punjab to lead in sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship.

Effect of Fluoroalcohol Chain Extension Modified HTPB Binder on the Combustion Performance of Aluminized Propellants

To enhance both the mechanical properties of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) binder and the combustion efficiency of aluminized propellants, 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoro-1,6-hexanediol (OFHD) was employed as a chain extender to impart mechanical regulation to the HTPB binder. Mechanical testing showed that the mechanical properties of fluoride-modified HTPB polyurethane (FPU) were significantly improved: the peak tensile strength of the optimized samples reached 1.99 MPa, and the elongation at break attained 486%. The structural characterization of the FPUs was conducted using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Thermogravimetry-mass spectrometer (TG-MS) analysis revealed that the initial thermal decomposition temperature of the FPU shifted from 170 °C to 162 °C, accompanied by the release of fluorine-containing fragments during decomposition. Analysis of the combustion residue indicated that the addition of OFHD can reduce the agglomeration of aluminum (Al) powder in aluminized propellants. Dynamic pressure characteristics results showed an augmented pressurization rate under argon and oxygen atmospheres, increased by 18.67% and 37.29%, respectively. Heat release tests indicated that the aluminized propellants with the addition of OFHD had a higher combustion heat, being increased by 6.57%. The binder system is expected to be applied in aluminized propellants to improve the mechanical properties and combustion efficiency of Al powder.

Comparative Analysis of Air Quality Index in Relation to Crop Residue Burning and Industrial Pollution in Punjab

The stubble burning is considered as the major air pollution contributor during the month of October and November, in Northern parts of India. Due to the fact that it corresponds with the burning seasons, the terrible haze seen over India in the winter has been connected to stubble burning (October-November). The situation is more critical in Punjab as the farmers have adopted extensive Rice-Wheat cropping system which leads to accumulation of stubble at large scale. The major gaseous pollutants generated due to stubble burning and industrial pollution are carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO2), sulfur oxides (SO2), and methane (CH4) as well as particulate matters (PM10 and PM2.5) causing serious issues to human health and the environment. Present study was planned to determine the impact of stubble burning on air quality parameter among industrial, moderately industrial and non-industrial area. It was reported that concentrations of particulate matters PM2.5 and PM10 in air was increasing with increasing in burning events in all the districts studied. Whereas increasing trend of NH3 and NO2 concentration in Ludhiana and NH3 in Bathinda district may be due the impact of crop residue burning along with industrial pollution. If managed properly, crop stubbles might offer farmers significant economic rewards and safeguard the environment from serious contamination. Present results showed that burning of rice crop residue significantly contributes to air pollution in Punjab.

Crop residue burning increased during the COVID-19 lockdown: A case study of rural India

The customary practice of crop residue burning (CRB) is a major policy concern across several developing economies because of the associated increase in air pollution and reduction in soil quality. CRB poses a hazard to public health and sustainable farmland management. We collected original survey data from a panel of 400 wheat farmers on CRB choices during April–May of 2019 and 2020 – with the latter coinciding with India's COVID-19 nationwide lockdown. This timeline of events facilitated a unique identification of changes in CRB that are attributable to the lockdown. Several studies find that lockdowns during 2020 had beneficial effects on the environment owing to reduced economic activity. However, our findings indicate that CRB may have unintentionally increased during the lockdown. A binary variable regression framework analyzes the determinants of CRB choices of farmers over two years. We control for farmers' opinions on various socioeconomic aspects of the pandemic lockdown to examine its effects on their CRB decisions. The lockdown significantly increased the likelihood of CRB by up to 12%. Furthermore, farmers who lost agricultural income and those compelled to sell assets during the lockdown were 22% and 19% more inclined, respectively, to choose CRB. Labor mobility ceased during the lockdown and increased the cost of environmentally friendly farmland management; this increased the likelihood of CRB by 6%. This study contributes to a growing literature on the unintentional consequences of pandemic lockdowns.

Mitigating agricultural residue burning: challenges and solutions across land classes in Punjab, India

Abstract India faces significant air quality challenges, contributing to local health and global climate concerns. Despite a national ban on agricultural residue burning and various incentive schemes, farmers in northern India continue to face difficulties in curbing open-field burning. Using data from 1021 farming households in rural Punjab in India, we examine the patterns and drivers of the adoption of no-burn agriculture, particularly for farmers who mulch instead of burning crop residue. We find a growing trend in no-burn farming practices among farmers between 2015 and 2017, with the highest adoption rates among large farmers compared to medium and small farmers. Our findings suggest that access to equipment and learning opportunities may increase the likelihood of farmers using straw as mulch instead of burning it. Specifically, social learning appears to increase the likelihood of farmers embracing no-burn practices relative to learning from extension agencies. Furthermore, the form of learning depends on farm size. While large and medium farmers exhibit a variety of learning strategies, small farmers primarily self-learn. These results underscore the importance of a multiprong policy that provides sufficient access to equipment and a combination of learning platforms that enabling farmers from different land classes to adopt no-burn technologies.

Air-pollutant particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5)-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in diseases: Possible therapeutic approaches

Today, air pollution is one of the greatest threats to organismal healthspan. The environmental air of earth is contaminated with a wide variety of artificially generated pollutants like fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emitting from industry, fuel engine vehicles, biomass combustion, fumes from blasting, crop residue burning, and wildfire. The air pollutant PM2.5 induces massive oxidative stress and inflammation, the major contributors in initiation and progression of numerous diseases including pulmonary, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, reproductive, neurological, mental, and accelerated biological aging. The provocative question is the following: how can we solve this air pollution associated problem? As it is not realistic to clean the environment at once from artificially generated toxic pollution, initiatives have been undertaken to develop novel therapeutic approaches to control air-pollutant-induced oxidative stress and inflammation and associated devastating diseases. The primary goal of this review article is to discuss systematically the key findings of numerous recent preclinical studies documenting first, the role of air pollutant PM2.5 in augmentation of inflammation, oxidative stress, and associated diseases; and second, the efficacies of different natural and synthetic compounds in amelioration of PM2.5-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, pyroptosis, and associated pathologies. Further investigation on the safety of these compounds will be helpful to select effective and non-toxic compound(s) for clinical trial and drug development.

Environmental sustainability and life cycle assessment of pilot scale application of coal combustion residue as structural fill in mechanically stabilized earth walls

In this study, three types of coal combustion residue (CCR) have been used, and the life cycle impact of CCR as structural fill behind mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls of three different heights has been conducted. The analysis has been done using OpenLCA software. Results have been compared with MSE walls using natural sand as a structural fill. It is observed that the environmental impacts of using CCR reduce by more than 50 % compared to those of using natural sand. Amongst CCR, the maximum impact is shown by fly ash and the least by bottom ash. Relative to natural sand, the impacts of using CCR decrease with an increase in wall height. The cost analysis of the walls indicates that if structural fills are transported from the same distance, the cost of construction with natural sand is 18–46 % higher than that by CCR as fill. Results reveal that utilizing CCR as structural fill in MSE walls proves to be a more economic and eco-conscious choice compared to the conventional natural soil. These findings could hold considerable implications for the construction sector and its efforts to minimize ecological footprint.

AgriFireInfo v1.0: An Open-Source Platform for the Monitoring and Management of Open-Field Crop Residue Burning

Open-field crop residue burning (OCRB) is a widespread agricultural practice with significant impacts on regional environments and public health. The effective management of OCRB remains a challenging task that requires timely access to various forms of monitored and forecasted information. Addressing this worldwide need, an open-source platform named AgriFireInfo v1.0, which is specifically tailored to monitoring and regulating regional OCRB activities, was developed. This technical note thoroughly illustrates the platform’s architecture, major modules, and visualization processes. Through AgriFireInfo v1.0, government agencies can access timely information about the spatial distribution of fire spots and emissions as well as meteorological conditions and air quality status. AgriFireInfo v1.0 also introduces an innovative Prevention Alarming Index, designed to identify regions prone to OCRB and promote comprehensive crop residue utilization. Furthermore, it offers the burning window and crop residue yields for controlled OCRB activities and can be used to analyze shifts in farmers’ burning behaviors and intensities. Future enhancements will focus on supplying holistic information on the burning windows and burning amounts of crop residues to further facilitate refined controlled burning activities and optimize decision-making processes. The flexibility and scalability of this platform can potentially allow users to easily customize and apply it to other regions or countries.

Trans-boundary spatio-temporal analysis of Sentinel 5P tropospheric nitrogen dioxide and total carbon monoxide columns over Punjab and Haryana Regions with COVID-19 lockdown impact.

This study conducts a spatio-temporal analysis of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and total carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations in the Punjab and Haryana regions of India and Pakistan, using datasets from the Sentinel 5-Precursor (S5P) satellite. These regions, marked by diverse economic growth factors including population expansion, power generation, transportation, and agricultural practices, face similar challenges in atmospheric pollution, particularly evident in major urban centers like Delhi and Lahore, identified as pollution hotspots. The study also spotlights pollution associated with power plants. In urban areas, tropospheric NO2 levels are predominantly elevated due to vehicular emissions, whereas residential activities mainly contribute to CO pollution. However, precisely attributing urban CO sources is complex due to its longer atmospheric residence time and intricate circulation patterns. Notably, the burning of rice crop residue in November significantly exacerbates winter pollution episodes and smog, showing a more pronounced correlation with total CO than with tropospheric NO2 levels. The temporal analysis indicates that the months from October to December witness peak pollution, contrasted with the relatively cleaner period during the monsoon months of July to September. The severe pollution in the OND quarter is attributed to factors such as variations in boundary layer height and depletion of OH radicals. Furthermore, the study highlights the positive impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on air quality, with a significant decrease in NO2 concentrations during April, 2020 (Delhi: 59%, Lahore: 58%). However, the reduction in total CO columns was less significant. The study also correlates lockdown stringency with tropospheric NO2 columns (R2: 0.37 for Delhi, 0.25 for Lahore, 0.22 for Rawalpindi/Islamabad), acknowledging the influence of various meteorological and atmospheric variables. The research highlights the significant impact of crop residue burning on winter pollution levels, particularly on total CO concentrations. The study also shows the notable effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on air quality, significantly reducing NO2 levels. Additionally, it explores the correlation between lockdown stringency and tropospheric NO2 columns, considering various meteorological factors.