Sulfur Deposition Research Articles

The large role of declining atmospheric sulfate deposition and rising CO 2 concentrations in stimulating future wetland CH 4 emissions

Existing projections of wetland methane emissions usually neglect feedbacks from global biogeochemical cycles. Using data-driven approaches, we estimate wetland methane emissions from 2000 to 2100, considering effects of meteorological changes and biogeochemical feedbacks from atmospheric sulfate deposition and CO 2 fertilization. In low-CO 2 scenarios (1.5° and 2°C warming pathways), the suppressive effect of sulfate deposition on wetland methane emissions largely diminishes by 2100 due to clean air policies, with resulting emission increases (7 ± 2 Tg a −1 ) being 35 and 22% of total wetland emission changes. In mid-CO 2 scenarios (2.4° to 3.6°C warming pathways), sulfate deposition changes modestly, and CO 2 fertilization contributes >30% of wetland emission increases. Across all scenarios, biogeochemical feedbacks can stimulate 30 to 45% of future wetland emission rises. Under 1.5° and 2°C pathways, wetland methane emissions will likely increase by 20 to 34 Tg a −1 by 2100, representing 8 to 15% of the allowable space for anthropogenic methane emissions, a factor not yet considered by current assessments.

Geochemical and Thermodynamic Study of Formation Water for Reservoir Management in Bibi Hakimeh Oil and Gas Field, Iran

This research evaluates the mineral ions and their concentrations in formation water from five well samples of the Bibi Hakimeh oil field (Iran). The analysis reveals the presence of calcium (Ca2+), sodium (Na+), and magnesium (Mg2+) cations, as well as sulfate (SO42−), bicarbonate (HCO3−), and chloride (Cl−) anions, which are soluble in water within the Bibi Hakimeh oil formation. Furthermore, mineral deposits of CaSO4, CaSO4.2H2O, CaCO3, and MgCO3 are investigated and predicted using StimCADE 2 software. The findings highlight the significant chemical precipitation of calcium sulfate and calcium carbonate mineral deposits under the operating conditions of the Bibi Hakimeh oil well. The geochemical composition of the formation waters is discussed to understand the equilibrium conditions and possible influence of the physical parameters. Additionally, this study examines the interaction between rock and water of the Bibi Hakimeh formation, revealing a notable correlation between the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions and the water–rock reaction in this field.

Spatiotemporal variations of wet and dry Sulfur deposition in Yangtze River Delta, China

Spatiotemporal variations of wet and dry Sulfur deposition in Yangtze River Delta, China

Long-term temporal response of eastern canadian lakes chemistry along a large spatial gradient of atmospheric sulfate deposition.

A major consequence of the Industrial Revolution was the acidification of continental water bodies by sulfates (SO42-) and nitrates deposited over long-range distance from atmospheric emissions. Regulation policies were implemented in the 1980s leading to the general decrease of SO42- concentrations in freshwaters and progressive recovery from acidification, a complex process that is still ongoing. The surface water SO42- decrease has been linked to declining calcium (Ca2+) and increasing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration. Here, up to 40 years (1983-2023) of chemical data in 46 lakes of Eastern Canada are analyzed for long-term trends and spatial patterns along a large gradient of SO42- deposition. The average lake SO42- concentration decreased along the distance from sulfur dioxide sources. SO42- concentration decreased significantly in every lake and faster close to the emission sources. In 70% of the lakes, the SO42- decline drove concurrent but slower Ca2+ and magnesium declines, leading to an overall increase in the Ca2+/SO42- ratio, in pH and in alkalinity for 72% of the lakes. The Ca2+ concentration is now below the crucial threshold for large zooplankton species in most lakes. Increasing trends in lake sodium concentration suggest an intensification of mineral weathering in catchment soils, potentially linked to rising temperatures, which could be involved in the observed recovery. DOC increased in 67% of lakes which drove a concurrent increase in aluminum in some lakes. The numerous environmental changes in progress across temperate and boreal lakes will deeply modify the structure and functioning of these systems, especially in the context of climatic changes.

Numerical analysis of factors causing long-term trends and annual variations of sulfur and nitrogen deposition amount in Japan from 2000 to 2020

The deposition of sulfur and nitrogen from the atmosphere to the ground surface is harmful to ecosystems. This study performed long-term air quality simulations to quantify the influences of factors, including anthropogenic emissions in Japan, meteorological fields, transboundary transport, and volcanic emissions, on the long-term trends and annual variations in sulfur and nitrogen deposition in Japan from 2000 to 2020. The air quality simulations performed well in reproducing the long-term trends and annual variations in the wet deposition amount, whereas the simulated dry deposition amount may contain larger uncertainties. The decreasing trends in sulfur deposition were statistically significant during the entire study period (2000–2020) in most of Japan. They were caused by the reduction of anthropogenic SO2 emissions in Japan and China, which was accomplished by the implementation of stringent emission controls, as well as a gradual decrease in SO2 emissions from the Miyakejima volcano, which erupted in 2000. No significant decreasing trends were found in nitrogen deposition in Japan during the first half of the study period (2000–2010). Decreases caused by the reduction in anthropogenic NOx emissions in Japan were compensated for by increases caused by increasing NOx emissions in China and changes in the gas-aerosol partitioning of nitrates instead of sulfates. The decreasing trend in nitrogen deposition in Japan became statistically significant during the second half of the study period (2010–2020) after anthropogenic NOx emissions started to decline in China. Meteorological fields primarily influenced annual variations in the amount of nitrogen deposition. This study reveals that long-term air quality simulations are useful for quantifying the influences of various factors on long-term trends and annual variations in sulfur and nitrogen deposition.Graphical

Стійкість мохів із фонових і антропогенно трансформованих територій до водного дефіциту

The tolerance to water deficit protonema of vegetative and generative clones of mosses Bryum argenteum Hedw., Funaria hygrometrica Hedw. and Barbula unguiculata Hedw. from the background (Lviv city “Pohulyanka” forest park) and anthropogenically disturbed areas of the Yaziv sulfur deposit (Lviv region, Yavoriv district) and the waste dump of the Chervonograd mining and industrial district (ChGPK). The laboratory culture was grown on Knopp’s agar medium, creating a water deficit by adding 1–5 % polyethylene glycol (PEG) to the medium. It was established that the vegetative clones of the investigated mosses from different local vegetation in the background and anthropogenically transformed territories are more tolerant to lack of moisture than the generative ones. The most resistant were Bryum argenteum sods from the top of the southern slope of the sulfur mining dump, which on the medium with 2 % polyethylene glycol (PEG) had the largest diameter and the largest number of gametophores per sod compared to the samples from the wetter localities of the northern slope of the dump. Vegetative clones from different local vegetation from background and anthropogenically disturbed areas showed different sensitivity to water deficit. The plants from the dumps were characterized by a higher growth rate of regenerants and formed more gametophores on the medium with PEG than the samples from Lviv. It was established that the tolerance of vegetative and generative clones of mosses B. argenteum, F. hygrometrica and B. unguiculata to moisture deficit depends on the age of the plants, the concentration of PEG and the duration of its action, as well as the life strategy of the species. It is shown that mosses, due to successful vegetative reproduction with a short development cycle, which can partially replace generative reproduction in stressful conditions, in particular lack of moisture, better adapt to conditions of water deficit in post-technological territories of the Yaziv sulfur deposit and rock dump of coal mining of ChHPK.

Post-War Air Quality Index in Mosul City, Iraq: Does War Still Have an Impact on Air Quality Today?

The air quality in Mosul was adversely affected both directly and indirectly during and after the conflict phase, spanning from the occupation to the liberation of the city from ISIS (2014–2017). Direct impacts included the ignition of oil fields and sulphur deposits, as well as the use of military weapons and their propellants. Indirectly, the air quality was also compromised by various other factors negatively affecting the quality due to excessive emission levels of air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and other toxic gases. Six important locations in the city of Mosul were selected, and the concentrations of the parameters PM2.5, PM10, formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), NO2 and SO2 were determined at monthly intervals during the year 2022. The sites were selected both according to their proximity and their specific distance from the direct conflict zone. The aim was to assess the present pollutant levels based on WHO guidelines and to compare the results with previous pre-war studies to understand the long-term war impact on air quality. The results showed that the annual average values of PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 were above the WHO limits at all locations throughout the year. In contrast, the annual average values of TVOC, HCHO and SO2 were within the limits in the hot months but exceeded them in the cold months (December to March), which can be attributed to the use of heating material in winter. Two sites revealed higher pollution levels than the others, which can be attributed to their proximity to the devastated areas (conflict zones), high traffic density and a high density of power generators. These factors were further exacerbated by post-war migration from the destroyed and unsafe areas. Thus, in addition to the short-term effects of burning oil fields and sulphur deposits, as well as airborne weapon emissions, the increase in traffic, the use of decentralized power generators, and the higher demand for heating oil, progressive desertification due to deforestation and the destruction of extensive green areas, as well as increasing and unaddressed environmental violations in general, can be held responsible for declining air quality in the urban area. This work should be considered as preliminary work to emphasise the urgent need for conventional air quality monitoring to consolidate air quality data and monitor the effectiveness of different approaches to mitigate war-related air quality deterioration. Possible approaches include the implementation of air purification technologies, the preservation of existing ecosystems, the replacement of fossil energy sources with renewable energy options, proactive and sustainable urban planning and enforcing strict air quality regulations and policies to control and reduce pollution levels.

Corrosion Mechanism of Press-Hardened Steel with Aluminum-Silicon Coating in Controlled Atmospheric Conditions

The effect of various atmospheric parameters on the corrosion mechanism of press-hardened steel (PHS) coated with Al-Si (AS) was studied. Quantitative models of the composition of soluble and stable corrosion products were developed. A high chloride concentration led to a localized corrosion due to the presence of cracks in the coating. Increased corrosion resistance of silicon-rich Al8Fe2Si and AlFe at the expense of the Al5Fe2 phase with low silicon content was shown. Under low-chloride-deposition conditions, the coating exhibited good corrosion resistance and provided sufficient protection to the underlying steel. The formation of more local anodes and cathodes under conditions of lower relative humidity led to a reduction in the depth of corrosion pits in the steel substrate. Constant high relative humidity and sulphate deposits on the surface were critical for the acceleration of steel corrosion in coating cracks.

Study on an enhanced simulation method for sulfur deposition characteristics in sour gas reservoirs based on the overlapping grid method

Sour gas reservoirs face significant challenges during development due to sulfur deposition, which reduces porosity and permeability, impairs near-wellbore flow, and shortens productive lifespans. However, existing models often fail to capture the complex flow dynamics and spatial distribution of sulfur in the near-wellbore area, leading to reduced forecast accuracy. To address this gap, we propose a novel enhanced simulation method based on an overlapping grid method, which allows for accurate modeling of three-phase (gas, liquid, sulfur) flow dynamics while maintaining computational efficiency. Field data validation confirms the method’s reliability in accurately predicting sulfur deposition onset and spatial distribution. Sensitivity analysis reveals that lower initial reservoir pressures lead to earlier sulfur deposition, while high sulfur content, low permeability, and high production rates intensify near-wellbore deposition. In contrast, higher permeability promotes a more uniform sulfur distribution. These findings provide actionable insights for designing effective sulfur mitigation strategies, including back-flushing, acidification, and sulfur inhibitors, to preserve permeability and ensure sustained productivity. This study offers a powerful tool for optimizing reservoir management practices, enhancing operational stability, and prolonging the productive lifespan of sour gas reservoirs, with potential long-term benefits for economic sustainability.

Data fusion of modelled and-measured deposition in the U.S. and Canada, Part I: description of methodology and validation of wet deposition of sulfur and nitrogen.

Data fusion of modelled and-measured deposition in the U.S. and Canada, Part I: description of methodology and validation of wet deposition of sulfur and nitrogen.

Cyclic effects of sulfur deposition on CO2 by vacuum pressure swing adsorption from blast furnace gas

Cyclic effects of sulfur deposition on CO2 by vacuum pressure swing adsorption from blast furnace gas

Analysis of sulphur deposition and well production in sour gas reservoirs considering the effect of temperature field

Analysis of sulphur deposition and well production in sour gas reservoirs considering the effect of temperature field

Analysis of sulphur deposition and well production in sour gas reservoirs considering the effect of temperature field

Analysis of sulphur deposition and well production in sour gas reservoirs considering the effect of temperature field

OUTLINES OF IRAQ MINERAL AND MINING STRATEGY: A PROPOSAL FOR DISCUSSION

Iraq is rich in mineral resources and industrial rocks, discovered and assessed over half a century of geological exploration works. Iraqi native sulfur deposits are the largest in the world and the Iraqi phosphorite deposits come second after Morocco. Large deposits of silica sand, kaolin, limestone, bentonite and construction raw materials have been discovered and partly exploited. Metallic mineral deposits and occurrences are restricted to the Kurdistan Region including Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr – Ni and Fe. None of which have been exploited.

Climate displaces deposition as dominant driver of dissolved organic carbon concentrations in historically acidified lakes

Climate and atmospheric deposition interact with watershed properties to drive dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in lakes. Because drivers of DOC concentration are inter-related and interact, it is challenging to assign a single dominant driver to changes in lake DOC concentration across spatiotemporal scales. Leveraging forty years of data across sixteen lakes, we used structural equation modeling to show that the impact of climate, as moderated by watershed characteristics, has become more dominant in recent decades, superseding the influence of sulfate deposition that was observed in the 1980s. An increased percentage of winter precipitation falling as rain was associated with elevated spring DOC concentrations, suggesting a mechanistic coupling between climate and DOC increases that will persist in coming decades as northern latitudes continue to warm. Drainage lakes situated in watersheds with fine-textured, deep soils and larger watershed areas exhibit greater variability in lake DOC concentrations compared to both seepage and drainage lakes with coarser, shallower soils, and smaller watershed areas. Capturing the spatial variability in interactions between climatic impacts and localized watershed characteristics is crucial for forecasting lentic carbon and nutrient dynamics, with implications for lake ecology and drinking water quality.

Modeling Study on the Impacts of Mineral Dust Photocatalytic Heterogeneous Chemistry on the Sulfur Removal Over East Asia

AbstractDust heterogeneous chemistry substantially influences the atmosphere and has profound impacts on our environment and climate. Gas‐particle partitioning on dust not only modifies species' chemical evolutions but also influences their deposition velocity. However, how does dust heterogeneous chemistry impacts acid deposition remains unexplored. In this research, we integrated dust photocatalytic mechanism into GEOS‐Chem to assess its impact on sulfur removal across various regions and time spans in China. We find the photocatalytic mechanism enhances simulation performances of acid deposition. Observational validation demonstrates significant reductions in modeling bias for sulfur dioxide (SO2) dry deposition and sulfate (SO4) total deposition. Additionally, the improved model captures the declining trend of SO4 deposition over 2006–2020. We further identified two key impacts of photocatalytic chemistry: firstly, our findings indicate it enhances sulfur removal more efficiently in near‐desert areas like North China Plain (NCP) than in downwind areas like Yunnan‐Guizhou‐Chongqing region (YGY). Lifetimes of total sulfur reduced from 3.29 to 2.46 days in NCP, and from 2.46 to 1.95 days in YGY. This discrepancy results from faster conversion of SO2 to dust‐phase SO4 and larger proportions of coarse‐mode particles in NCP, resulting in accelerated SO4 deposition velocity. Secondly, our results indicate that because dust photocatalytic chemistry amplifies removal of sulfur through SO4 formation and deposition, decreased dust emission resulted in enhanced sulfur lifetimes over 2006–2014. Sensitivity experiments further show higher dust concentrations accelerate pollutants' removal. These findings underscore the importance of dust heterogeneous chemistry in influencing sulfur deposition, providing scientific insights for mitigating acid deposition in China.

Towards a Sustainable Growth of the Shipping Sector—A Systematic Review of Future Shipping Emissions Scenarios

ABSTRACTThe demand for transport could be tripling by 2050, and it is expected that the increase in shipping demand will be even larger. Considering this, it is important to forecast the evolution of ship emissions in the coming decades and estimate their impacts on air quality, health and climate as reliably as possible. Thus, this study aimed to perform a systematic review considering studies where future shipping emissions scenarios have been established and studies that used future shipping emissions scenarios to assess future impacts on air quality and/or health and on climate. The 26 studies reviewed were performed mainly for the Arctic, Baltic and North Seas regions and Asia. Most authors reported a general decrease in SOx, NOx and PM2.5 concentrations (and consequent health impacts where applicable) and in the deposition of sulphur and nitrogen species due to the NOx and SOx emission regulations. In contrast, the authors reported that the current regulatory energy efficiency policies might not compensate for the increase in traffic and the resulting CO2 emissions. The health effects of future ship‐related emissions were rarely reported. Moreover, based on considerations of studies across the globe, future studies should adopt a holistic approach that integrates, besides what was already explored, detailed traffic growth assumptions, alternative fuels and technologies (LNG, scrubbers and shore electricity), economic factors and more reliable methods to forecast the future activity of the ships.

Hydrophysical Properties of Peat in Undisturbed and Smelter‐Impacted Peatlands: Implications for Moss Recovery, Drought and Wildfire

ABSTRACTPeatlands are critical for global climate regulation storing approximately 500 Gt of carbon and accounting for 33% of global soil organic carbon. Regionally, these ecosystems provide essential wildfire resilience and are important pollutant sinks but degradation puts these key ecosystem services at risk. Smelting operations in Sudbury, ON, Canada, released approximately 12 000 t of particulate copper and nickel into the atmosphere between 1883 and 1969. Toxic metal and sulphur deposition on peatlands from smelting activities caused the widespread decline of keystone peatland moss species (i.e., Sphagnum) and altered peat properties. The changes in peat hydrophysical properties due to historical metal contamination likely reduce peatland resilience to drought and wildfires, thereby increasing the potential for toxic heavy metal remobilisation; however, these peat properties changes have yet to be quantified. We determine 1) how historical smelter pollution impacts peat hydrophysical properties by measuring bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil water retention in the upper 40 cm of both undisturbed (located ~160 km outside the deposition region) and smelter‐impacted peatlands, 2) use these data to explore the vulnerability of these peatlands to wildfires and drought and 3) assess the potential for natural Sphagnum moss recovery. Smelter‐impacted peat had a significantly higher bulk density, lower macroporosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity that drove large differences in modelled soil water tension profiles during simulated drying events. These differences in soil water tension and retention profiles resulted in the smelter‐impacted peat having a far greater proportion of the peat profile that would be susceptible to smouldering combustion than the undisturbed peat. Additionally, the smelter‐impacted peat properties likely contributed to the limited Sphagnum moss recovery, while concurrently increasing drought and wildfire risk. As such, we argue that contaminated peatland restoration is necessary to enhance Sphagnum moss recovery to mitigate toxic metal remobilisation risk from drought and wildfire.

Agricultural Sci-Tech Innovation Assistance for Food Security and Sustainability to Taal Volcano’s Internally Displaced Population in Batangas

On 12 January 2020, the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) raised Alert Level from 1 to 4 (out of 5) after increasing activity of Taal Volcano in Batangas. The eruption has resulted in development challenges and problems such as increased poverty, limited livelihood opportunities faced by farmers which manifest the serious impact of the eruption on the ways of living and the livelihood activities. Thus, this project formulated in which a series of workshop and training skills where conducted to assess, develop and implement an action plan for rehabilitating the farm of the affected residents of Batangas, primarily at the municipality of Talisay, Balete, San Nicolas, Laurel, Agoncillo, and Ibaan. The participants were chosen by the Local Government Unit and composed mostly of members of 4P’s and farmers. The beneficiaries were already in a difficult situation not only because of the recent eruption of Taal Volcano that rendered some of them homeless and unemployed but also because of the COVID-19 which aggravated the situation. Based on the initial assessment, it was found out that agricultural livelihood and property were heavily damaged by the eruption. Moreover, the said assessment led the project team to identify initial livelihood training’s that can be introduced to the affected communities. These trainings’ included household opportunities through vegetable production, processing and organic concoction production to rehabilitate the soil from acidity due to sulfur deposition during volcanic eruption. Rehabilitation and recovery plan were also considered to capacitate the farmers.

A Novel Mesoporous Carbon as a Flexible Conductive Support for Cathode of Li-S Batteries

Introduction Sulfur is a promising cathode material for next generation rechargeable batteries due to its high theoretical capacity, cost-effectiveness, and abundance. However, challenges such as its insulating nature, large volume expansion upon lithiation (up to 80%), and the polysulfide shuttle effect have hindered its practical application. Carbon materials, known for their high electrical conductivity and large surface area, have been explored as the hosts for sulfur. However, the sulfur content in most of the sulfur carbon composites remains below 70 wt%, and the sulfur loading is less than 2 mg cm–2, mainly due to the greater shuttle effect and lower conductivity observed in the electrodes with higher sulfur loading. Our group has developed a mesoporous carbon material named carbon mesosponge (CMS) through a template carbonization method. CMS comprises three-dimensional graphene structures with abundant mesopores, acting as reservoirs for the sulfur volume expansion and facilitating the physical adsorption of lithium polysulfide through van der Waals interaction. Moreover, CMS possesses oxygen functional groups advantageous for chemically trapping lithium polysulfide within the cathode. In this work, sulfur is mostly deposited inside the pores of CMS using a chemical reaction method, demonstrating superior cycling stability compared to the conventional melt-diffusion method where sulfur tends to deposit on the exterior of mesopores. Experimental The CMS was synthesized via the template carbonization approach, where chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using CH4 as a carbon source was performed onto a nanoplate MgO. Subsequently, the CMS was obtained as the MgO were removed by HCl treatment. CMS/sulfur composite was chemically prepared by mixing CMS with sodium polysulfide (Na2Sx) solution, followed by formic acid introduction for sulfur deposition. A counterpart CMS/sulfur composite was synthesized via melt diffusion by heating sulfur and CMS powder at 155 ºC for 12 hours. Both composites were heated at 250 ºC for 30 minutes to remove excessive sulfur. For comparison, carbon/sulfur composites were prepared using commercialized carbon materials, including activated carbon MSC30 and graphene oxide (GO), following the same preparation method. Electrochemical performance of the samples were evaluated using a coin cell configuration, with electrolyte of 1 M LiTFSI + 1M LiNO3 + 0.08 M La(NO3)3 in DME/DOL and counter electrode of Li metal. Results and Discussion In the TG curves under nitrogen atmosphere (Figure 1a), CMS/sulfur (chemical reaction) exhibits a higher sulfur evaporation onset temperature (279 ºC) compared to CMS/sulfur (melt diffusion) and other carbon/sulfur composites. This suggests that the chemical reaction method mainly confines sulfur inside pores of CMS, rather than depositing it on the outer surface. In contrast, MSC30 and GO have limited pore structures and planar surfaces, respectively, resulting in weaker physical sulfur confinement. Figure 1b displays the cycling stability at 1/10 C, revealing CMS's superior capacity retention over other carbon host materials. CMS/sulfur (chemical reaction) retains 90% capacity at 655 mAh g–1 after 100 cycles, and CMS/sulfur (melt diffusion) retains 82 % with 583 mAh g–1. Using CMS/sulfur (chemical reaction) as a cathode material (active material area: 12 cm2) with a sulfur mass loading of 3.8 mg cm-2, pouch cells were assembled (electrolyte/sulfur ratio: 5 μL mg–1). In Figure 1c, the cell displays an initial discharge capacity at 1414 mAh g–1 (1/40 C), stabilizing at around 1018 mAh g–1 from 2nd cycle to the 10th cycle at 1/10 C, and then gradually stabilizing at 650 mAh g–1. The introduction of CMS shows promise in improving the cycling performance of Li-S batteries.Figure 1. (a) TG curves of carbon/sulfur composites under nitrogen atmosphere. (b) Cycling performance of different carbon/sulfur composites using coin-cells. (c) Cycling performance of CMS/sulfur (chemical reaction) using a pouch cell. Figure 1