Types Of Emission Sources Research Articles

Emission source-based ozone isopleth and isosurface diagrams and their significance in ozone pollution control strategies

In the past decade, ozone (O3) pollution has been continuously worsening in most developing countries. The accurate identification of the nonlinear relationship between O3 and its precursors is a prerequisite for formulating effective O3 control measures. At present, precursor-based O3 isopleth diagrams are widely used to infer O3 control strategy at a particular location. However, there is frequently a large gap between the O3-precursor nonlinearity delineated by the O3 isopleths and the emission source control measures to reduce O3 levels. Consequently, we developed an emission source-based O3 isopleth diagram that directly illustrates the O3 level changes in response to synergistic control on two types of emission sources using a validated numerical modeling system and the latest regional emission inventory. Isopleths can be further upgraded to isosurfaces when co-control on three types of emission sources is investigated. Using Guangzhou and Foshan as examples, we demonstrate that similar precursor-based O3 isopleths can be associated with significantly different emission source co-control strategies. In Guangzhou, controlling solvent use emissions was the most effective approach to reduce peak O3 levels. In Foshan, co-control of on-road mobile, solvent use, and fixed combustion sources with a ratio of 3:1:2 or 3:1:3 was best to effectively reduce the peak O3 levels below 145 ppbv. This study underscores the importance of using emission source-based O3 isopleths and isosurface diagrams to guide a precursor emission control strategy that can effectively reduce the peak O3 levels in a particular area.

Impact of urban, suburban and industrial background on air pollution levels of dust substances in North-Eastern part of Krakow (Poland)

Air pollution in urban-industrial areas is caused by simultaneous impact of many factors, including different types of emission sources. Ambient air quality in Krakow is a crucial problem regarding the regularly occurring exceedances of limit values of particulate matter and some of its chemical compounds. This paper presents quantification of urban, suburban and industrial background of dust substances concentrations that are present in the industrialized area, located in the vicinity of scattered household and road traffic emission sources. There were included the concentrations of such substances as: particulate matter (PM10), benzo(a)pyrene, arsenic, cadmium, lead and nickel. The impact of daytime and season of the year (especially heating and non-heating season) on variability of air pollutant concentrations was examined. In order to distinguish between local and inflow background of air pollutants the additional meteorological data concerning wind speed and direction was considered. The performed analyses included application of statistical methods, among others principal component analysis (PCA). Some of the results were visualized via R programming environment, providing tools for air pollution data processing (openair package). The backward trajectories modelling using HYSPLIT model, allowed the validation of wind direction analyses. The conducted research revealed the strong dependence of air pollution background type influencing the measurement results on instantaneous wind direction.

Expansion of a size disaggregation profile library for particulate matter emissions processing from three generic profiles to 36 source-type-specific profiles

ABSTRACT This study describes a significant upgrade to the particulate matter (PM) size disaggregation profile library used for preparing emissions files for the GEM-MACH (Global Environmental Multiscale-Modelling Air-quality and CHemistry) chemical transport model (CTM). This model uses a sectional (bin) approach to represent the PM size distribution, where one configuration employs 12 size bins to disaggregate PM2.5 and PM10 inventory emissions into the first 10 bins ranging from 0.01 to 10.24 μm in diameter. For the size disaggregation step, a small library of three generic PM size disaggregation profiles is currently applied for three broad source categories (area, mobile, and point). However, as might be expected, these generic profiles are not always representative: for example, emissions from two very different area sources ‒ paved road dust and residential wood combustion ‒ are disaggregated using the same generic size distribution profile. In order to improve the current small PM size disaggregation profile library, a comprehensive literature review was conducted: over 100 relevant publications were identified and PM size distribution profiles for 36 different emission source types were selected and compiled. These 36 source-type-specific PM size distribution profiles were then combined based on process type with corresponding PM speciation profiles to create a library of chemically speciated and size-resolved PM disaggregation profiles. This library can now be used by the SMOKE (Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions) emissions processing system for the 12-bin version of GEM-MACH to perform PM chemical speciation and size allocation in one step. The size-profile data collected and compiled in this study may also be used for emissions processing for other CTMs with a size-resolved representation of PM. Details of the compilation of the 36 PM size disaggregation profiles are discussed, and the differences in processed PM emissions based on the current and updated PM size disaggregation profile libraries are shown. Implications: A new and expanded particulate matter (PM) size disaggregation profile library covering 36 emission source types has been developed based on an extensive literature review. Its use can produce significant changes in the size allocation of bulk PM inventory emissions processed for input to size-resolved PM chemical transport models. Such models are used to predict atmospheric visibility and to simulate the interactions of aerosol particles with atmospheric radiation and with clouds. The use of more accurate, size-resolved primary PM emissions by these models should improve their predictive skill for atmospheric PM processes affecting air quality, meteorology, and climate.

Assessment of the Odour Impact Range of a Selected Agricultural Processing Plant

Within the research, on the premises of an agricultural plant, the odour concentration was measured, and the odour emission was determined. The obtained values allowed us to analyse the odour distribution using the Polish reference mathematical model for four different scenarios, including (1) all identified emission sources, i.e., point and surface: scenarios 1 and 2, and (2) only point sources, scenario 3 and 4. The values of the comparative level and the frequency of exceedances in scenarios 1 and 3 were based on the Polish draft act on counteracting odour nuisance, while the Dutch guidelines were used for scenarios 2 and 4. Model calculations showed the potential impact of the tested structure on adjacent residential areas, i.e., in scenarios 1 and 2, the permissible value of the frequency of exceedances was exceeded at all points representing residential buildings. The exceedances for scenario 3 and 4 took place in seven out of eight and two out of eight points, respectively. The results indicated that to accurately and reliably assess the odour impact and to determine the measures to prevent and reduce odour emissions, it is necessary to consider all types of emission sources in the facilities potentially causing odour nuisance.

The Development of a CO2 Emission Coefficient for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles with Different Road Slope Conditions Using Multiple Linear Regression, and Considering the Health Effects

The current studies on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the impacts on public health focus mainly on evaluating CO2 emissions from two types of emission sources. The first is a fixed source type from industrial plants, which can be controlled or easily evaluated. The second is a mobile source type from the transport sector, especially from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs), which produce high emissions. However, the common methods of evaluation of the average value of CO2 emissions per kilometer of a vehicle use a general Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) model that does not consider the topography or road conditions. This affects the accuracy of CO2 emission assessments and, in turn, affects the accuracy of any analysis needed to establish health policies and the management of public health within the affected area. In this paper, therefore, we present the development of emission coefficient calculations with varying topography conditions for MHDVs with consideration of the health effects on the populace. The study area was the Asian highway network in Thailand that passes through all regions and is geographically diverse. Data were collected from the Department of Highway’s records, global positioning system (GPS) and electronic control unit (ECU) with data consisting of road data, slope, distance, traffic level and vehicle weight, as well as fuel consumption along the transportation route. To analyze and map out the correlation of the CO2 emission coefficients for each road slope, we determined the coefficient of the CO2 emissions using multiple linear regression analysis and validated this using Huber–White robust standard errors for heteroscedasticity. This method was more cost-efficient and time-efficient compared to the conventional approaches. We also created CO2 emission maps with risk points for health effects, and we propose policy designs and plans to manage the traffic level in each of these areas prone to higher levels of such emissions.

Air quality impact of particulate matter (PM10) releases from an industrial source.

This study is the initial air quality modeling application to investigate the atmospheric dispersion of particulate matter (PM10) released from an industrial plant in a mid-sized city in the northwestern region of Turkey. The study aims to determine how an industrial application might affect air pollution levels in the urban area of that city. Different types of PM10 emission sources at the plant were analyzed to determine their contribution to the overall PM10 level. The main concern of the study was to define whether the PM10 emission from the plant produced any air quality effects on the nearby hospital and downtown area. According to the modeling result, the maximum daily PM10 concentration was observed mostly in the southern part of the plant. The highest daily downwind PM10 was estimated to be 286.3μgm-3, while the annual mean of downwind PM10 concentration was estimated to be 72.6μgm-3. It was found that the highest PM10 was emitted from the line source (282.2μgm-3)-located at the south and southwest of the plant-that has been continuously used for hauling raw materials to the cement plant. In this study, the hauling roads (as a line source) were the hot-spot at the plant and needed serious maintenance for the reduction of PM10 emissions from the plant. In the study area, a sensitive community state facility was subject to be considered an environmental concern since the central hospital complex was located nearby the PM10 source. For this purpose, the American Meteorological Society/Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model (AERMOD) was followed to determine whether the plant caused any severe PM10 effect on the central hospital. The results indicate that the maximum hourly PM10 concentrations were predicted as 20μgm-3 for the central hospital area. Overall, the modeled PM10 concentrations from the source at different time scales and locations did not exceed the national air quality limits in the area.

ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT PROCESS ON EMISSIONS OF ASPHALT PLANT

Asphalt plants are the facilities where in the coating material on the roads, which vehicle traffic flows on it and is defined as the main usage area in Turkey as well as all over the world and known as asphalt by most people, was produced. Asphalt plants bring significant environmental problems if necessary precautions are not taken during asphalt production. The most important of these problems are the emissions of dust and gas which are given to the atmosphere and cause air pollution. In Turkey, a number of legal arrangements have been made in order to prevent, reduce and control the negative effects of activities and facilities which have a polluting effect on the environment. The Environmental Permit and License Regulation is also one of these legal arrangements. Article 11 of the Environmental Law No. 2872 contains the following provision: “Facilities and enterprises, that are not considered appropriate to discharge their wastes generated during production, consumption and service activities in directly or indirectly to the receiving environment, and settlement units are obliged to treat and dispose of their wastes in accordance with the standards and methods determined in the regulations and to obtain the permits envisaged". In this respect, the Environmental Permit and License Regulation, which was prepared based on the Environment Law, was published in the Official Gazette No. 29115 dated September 10, 2014 and entered into force on November 1, 2014. In this paper, it is examined the emissions permit process of the sector to be in control and remain at a minimum level of the atmospheric pollutant impact during operation of asphalt plant which has a production capacity of 30 tons per hour and works 8 hours per day, in Turkey. There are two types of emission sources: point and area. The results of dust and gas measurements in emission sources are evaluated within the scope of Control of Industrial Air Pollution Regulation. Since the pollutant emissions do not exceed the limit values specified in the regulation, the emission issue environmental permit can be given to the facility.

Техногенне навантаження на довкілля Миколаївської області

In assessing the state of the environment of the regions of Ukraine, the greatest attention is paid to the assessment of the level of pollution of natural environments. When assessing the level of anthropogenic environmental load, the load indices for its individual components are not usually separated. Most estimates are based on identifying indicators that determine the overall level of load for the region (the environment of the region). The Mykolaiv region is a highly developed industrial region of the country, characterized by significant recreational potential. The purpose of the performed research is to evaluate the technogenic load on the environmental components of Mykolaiv region over a long period. The module of technogenic loading was calculated for evaluation. In order to assess the load on individual components of the environment, it is proposed to also calculate individual load modules for the air pool, water bodies, and geological environment. The dominant sources of pollutants emissions into the air are mobile sources. Since 2012, as the number of stationary sources has increased, emissions have been significantly reduced. From 2000 to 2011, there was an increase in technogenic load on the air pool with a predominant influence of mobile sources, from 2012 — a decrease due to both types of emission sources. The main polluters of the water resources of the region are water utilities. The maximum water consumption is noted for production needs, the minimum — for agricultural needs. Indicators of water intake, water use and wastewater discharges decreased. The volume of discharges of wastewater and pollutants has decreased the level of load. The waste generated in the region is dominated by IV hazard class waste. The amount of waste accumulated exceeds the amount of waste generated by an order of magnitude. There is a steady tendency to increase the accumulated waste in the region. Since 2011, there has been an increase in technogenic load on the geological environment by the amount of waste. The greatest technogenic loading of Mykolaiv region undergoes on indicators of discharges of sewage and formation of waste.

Exploratory analysis of the atmospheric levels of BTEX, criteria air pollutants and meteorological parameters in a tropical urban area in Northeastern Brazil

Air pollution is responsible for serious damage to the environment and to the health of the population. The objective of this study was to apply chemometric methods to determine and evaluate the relationships between the atmospheric concentrations of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) compounds, criteria air pollutants and meteorological parameters, as well as to identify the type of emission source associated with these pollutants at seven sites in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil during rainy and dry periods. BTEX compounds were monitored using passive samplers with a solvent desorbable adsorbent (activated charcoal) for 14 days and determined by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. Criteria air pollutants were determined using automatic continuous analyzers and the meteorological parameters by means of multi-parameters sensors. The average data obtained were submitted to multivariate analysis, using principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Some diagnostic ratios between the BTEX species, besides correlation analysis between the pollutants and meteorological parameters were also used to identify the origin of the emissions. The sum of average concentrations of BTEX compounds was lower in the dry period (5.90 ± 3.28 μg m−3) than in the rainy period (7.95 ± 2.95 μg m−3), probably due to higher values of temperature and solar radiation which favor photochemical reactions in the dry period, thereby increasing the rate of removal of the BTEX compounds from the atmosphere. The first three principal components together (PC1, PC2 and PC3) explain 80.1% of the total data variance, with a tendency to separate the samples into two groups, depending on the seasonal period. According to HCA, four main groups were formed with high degrees of similarity. Strong correlations were found among BTEX species, and between these compounds with CO, NO, and NO2, thus indicating a common emission source for these compounds, the vehicular fleet. Toluene/benzene (T/B), m,p-xylene/benzene (m,p-X/B) and o-xylene/benzene (o-X/B) ratios suggested that vehicular emissions constituted the main source of BTEX compounds. PCA and HCA results also confirmed these observations.

A Procedure to Select Meteorological Data for Air Dispersion Modeling of Pesticide Applications in California.

This study developed a procedure to select a set of 5-y meteorological data with the potential to estimate the highest concentrations ("worst-case scenario") in air dispersion modeling of pesticide applications with American Meteorological Society/Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model (AERMOD). The study analyzed the relationship between the 95th percentile maximum concentrations estimated by AERMOD and the percentages of low wind speed (LWS, 0.5-2 m/s) in the meteorological data used for the modeling. Statistical analysis showed that they were positively correlated within various distances to different types of emission sources. In addition, the LWS percentages of 1-y data could be used to predict the LWS percentages of 5-y data for the same station. Based on these results, the selection procedure for meteorological data began with the evaluation of 1-y data quality and LWS percentages for all the available stations in California, USA, counties with high use of a pesticide of interest. Five-year meteorological data were then processed for the top 5 stations with the highest LWS percentages to perform AERMOD modeling. Finally, the air concentration estimates of the modeled meteorological data were compared to determine the worst-case scenario data. This procedure provided a strategic plan for selecting meteorological data for AERMOD modeling of pesticide applications in California. The procedure was applied to the modeling of residential structural fumigations and determined that the 5-y (2011-2015) data of the weather station WBAN 93134 (downtown Los Angeles, University of Southern California campus) was the worst-case scenario meteorological data for this modeling case. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;15:648-658. Published 2019. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Emission influences on air pollutant concentrations in New York state: II. PM2.5 organic and elemental carbon constituents

Abstract Analyses of 20-year records of emissions and ambient air pollutant concentrations were combined with receptor modeling to enhance current understanding of the relative contributions of different emission source types to fine particle (PM2.5) elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) fractions in New York State. Two receptor models, principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF), were applied to determine trends in source contributions to OC and EC at the principal study site, Pinnacle State Park (PSP), between 2001 and 2015. The PSP results are interpreted in relation to state and regional emission and pollutant trends. Multi-site average SO4 concentrations showed a linear relationship to reductions in anthropogenic emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in New York, surrounding states, and eastern Canada from 6.1 million metric tons in 1995 to 1.0 million metric tons in 2015. On average, 0.5 ± 0.1 μg m-3 sulfate (SO4) originated from natural SO2 emissions or from outside the region. Emission-reduction programs yielded measurable reductions of ambient OC, EC, and SO4 concentrations, but OC and EC improvements at PSP were partly offset by increasing concentrations of biomass-burning OC and EC. Between 2001 and 2015, biomass burning contributions increased the PSP 2001–2003 mean EC and OC concentrations by 13–18% and 23–30%, respectively. With decreases in other source contributions, net total reductions of PSP 2001–2003 mean EC and OC concentrations were 36–58% and 26–45%, respectively. Contributions to PSP EC and OC declined from four source types: (1) fossil-fuel combustion associated with SO2, (2) combustion not associated with SO2 (tentatively identified as mobile sources), (3) crustal OC and EC, and (4) sulfate-associated OC and EC. SO2-associated fossil-fuel and biomass-burning OC and EC concentrations were higher in winter, sulfate and non-SO2 combustion OC and EC concentrations were higher in summer, and crustal OC and EC were higher in spring. Spatial and temporal coherence of mean OC and EC concentrations, which was observed as a constant slope of annual-average OC-vs-EC across sites and years, indicates that multiple sites were influenced by similar emission source types and responded similarly to emission reductions during the study period. The lowest mean annual OC and EC concentrations were recorded at the most remote site, Whiteface Mountain Base (WMB), averaging 1.0 ± 0.05 μg m-3 and 0.2 ± 0.01 μg m-3, respectively; these values may represent regional background concentrations.

Improved discrete ordinate method for accurate simulation radiation transport using solar and LED light sources

This work describes adaptive quadrature, a new feature designed to improve the Discrete Ordinate Method (DOM) in parallel and cone-shaped radiation sources. OpenFOAM was chosen as the simulation framework to implement the new feature. It already included a Discrete Ordinate Method (fvDOM), but it focuses on thermal radiation and is limited to isotropic emission, diffuse phenomena, and non-scattering media. The model was completed to cover volumetric and superficial absorption, isotropic and anisotropic scattering (with user-defined phase functions), diffuse and specular reflection, diffuse and parallel transmission, and three types of superficial emission sources, i.e., isotropic, cone-shaped, and parallel. Additionally, the model is prepared to work in grey mode or with wavelength bands. Multiple regions with different optical properties are also allowed. Most of the model has been validated by individual simulations of every feature in simple geometries that permit an analytical solution, with errors between 0% and 6.08%. These simulations were also verified in a comparison with an established version of the standard DOM, with differences between model implementations below 2.5%. Some advantages of the developed adaptive quadrature are also analysed using simulation results for different radiative sources and angular discretization. The main conclusion is that adaptive quadrature better defines view angle and light direction of emission sources compared to the established DOM, improving significantly the accuracy of the simulation of non-isotropic sources.

Construction of a Generalized Fatigue Diagram of Metallic Materials

The paper presents the results of the study of the stage of accumulation of damage and fatigue rupture of titanium alloys (using the method of acoustic emission). The main object of research was the development of a method for designing a generalized fatigue diagram characterizing the stage of fatigue damage accumulation. The studies aimed at experimental verification of the hypothesis of the stage of damage accumulation, which can be established only by the registered parameters of acoustic emission with separate analysis by types of acoustic emission sources. In contrast to the method of research, which is carried out fractographic analysis, the use of acoustic emission method can significantly reduce the amount of testing. The types of acoustic emission sources on the distribution plane of two-parameter “AE signal energy EAE vs. frequency parameter Kf” are considered. Fatigue stages in the tests of trial alloys were determined by the activity of the AE signals emitted by different types of AE sources (dislocation, micro - and macro-cracks). A generalized diagram of fatigue developed according to the specified stages. The developed method significantly reduces the volume of fatigue tests and fractographic studies.

ModOdor: 3D numerical model for dispersion simulation of gaseous contaminants from waste treatment facilities

Pollution caused by gaseous contaminant from waste treatment facilities, such as wastewater plants, municipal solid waste landfills, transfer stations, has elicited public concern. The potential environmental impacts of gaseous emissions from waste sectors are regulated by legislations in many countries, and dispersion models are powerful tools.Modeling of Odor gas air dispersion software (ModOdor), a 3D unsteady-state numerical model, was developed in this study to simulate the dispersion of gaseous contaminants from waste sectors. ModOdor overcomes the limitations of Gaussian and Lagrangian models when applied to unsteady-state, local-scale gaseous dispersion from waste sectors, because it adopts the numerical Eulerian scheme and finite difference method. Particularly, ModOdor can generate potential flow solutions associated with complex topography, process different types of emission sources, simulate spatiotemporal variations in meteorological conditions (wind and dispersion), and implement physical/chemical reactions for tracking the temporal and spatial evolution of plume and managing gaseous pollution from waste sectors.

Application of field inspections and odour observation diaries in the assessment of air quality and odour in urban areas

The choice of an odour nuisance assessment method depends on many factors, such as: the type and quantity of objects, the diversity and type of odour sources, the location of the object, the social situation and the number of complaints about odor nuisance, the type and physico-chemical parameters of the emitted gases and the conditions of dispersion of pollutants in the air. In most cases, in order to fully assess the situation and take integrated actions to reduce odour nuisance, both an instrumental/sensory analysis and a sociological research method should be used simultaneously. Such an approach enables researchers to get a real picture of the problem and develop the optimal and necessary minimization of odour impact solutions. The work presents the results of field and sociological research aimed at identifying odour sources and odour nuisance in a selected urban area located in the southern part of Poland. The studied area is complex in terms of the type and amount of odour emission sources, hence the use of several methods in the assessment of air quality was justified. The conducted research allowed the identification of emission sources and the extent of their impact on the area of the examined city and community.

Primary and secondary particulate matter intake fraction from different height emission sources

This study uses intake fraction, the fraction of emissions that are inhaled, to compare potential particulate matter exposure among different height emission sources. We use the Particulate Matter Source Apportionment Technology (PSAT) in the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) to estimate intake fraction for primary and secondary particulate matter species from different height emission sources. We develop an approach to quantify intake fraction for both primary and secondary particulate matter species emitted from all types of emission sources in the contiguous United States. To compute intake fraction for secondary particulate matter species, we consider the inhalation of the precursor gas and condensed species based on the common atomic unit between the emitted gas and particulate matter product. Our calculated intake fraction varies from 1.0 to 4.9 per million for primary particulate matter, 0.4 to almost 6.0 per million for secondary species, including inhalation of both particulate matter and the relevant precursor species. Intake fraction is consistently higher in the winter than the summer for all species from all emission heights. The shortest height sources, which include area sources, display intake fractions over an order of magnitude greater than more elevated sources.

Differences in the Occurrence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Geochemical Markers in the Dust Emitted from Various Coal-Fired Boilers

Organic compounds occurring in emitted fly ashes from bituminous coal and bituminous coal and biomass combustion in various boilers were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. Gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) was applied to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for geochemical markers, such as n-alkanes, acyclic isoprenoids, steranes, pentacyclic triterpenoids (hopanes and moretanes), alkyl PAHs, and biomass markers. It was found that distributions of geochemical markers and presence are well preserved in fly ash. Particularly in fly ash from boilers of older types, thermal changes are small and mainly affect compounds of low molecular weight whereas, in fly ash from a fluidized bed combustion boiler, most geochemical markers were destroyed. It is possible that high molecular weight compounds survived the high temperature process when adsorbed in unburned or coked coal and/or biomass particles included in the dust emitted. PAH group profiles were made, while PAHs diagnostic indices and geochemical marker ratios were calculated and compared with literature data. Fly ash from coal and biomass combustion contains the highest PAH concentrations and shows the highest values of toxic equivalence (TEQ) factors among all boilers investigated. The results indicate that, whereas the distributions and ratios of geochemical markers are close to those of bituminous coals and can be applied to indicate source fuels in particulate matter, there are high differences between the values of diagnostic ratios found in this project and literature data. This indicates that PAH diagnostic ratios should be applied with care and confirmed by other data, e.g., those from geochemical markers, which may be recommended for research on the type of emission sources of particulate matter into the air.

Stable hydrogen isotope composition of n-alkanes in urban atmospheric aerosols in Taiyuan, China

The hydrogen isotope compositions (δD) of n-alkanes associated with particulate matter with a diameter of ≤10 μm from Taiyuan, China, during heating and non-heating periods were measured via gas chromatography–isotope ratio mass spectrometry to reveal the spatial and temporal characteristics of five functional zones and to provide another constraint on atmospheric pollutants. The δD values of n-C16 to n-C31 during the heating and non-heating periods ranged from −235.9‰ to −119.8‰ and from −231.3‰ to −129.2‰, respectively, but these similar spans had different distribution features. During the heating period, the δD distributions between non–central heating and commercial districts were consistent, as were those between residential and industrial districts; the n-alkanes came from two or more types of emission sources. Coal soot might be the primary local emission source, but not the only source. During the non-heating period, the n-alkanes of n-C16 to n-C20 were more depleted in D with the increasing carbon number in all functional zones, but there was no rule for n-C21 to n-C31. Specifically, coal soot and vehicle exhaust might be the primary sources of n-alkanes for non–central heating districts in the heating and non-heating periods, respectively, according to the δD distribution of n-C18 to n-C22; gasoline vehicle exhaust might be an n-alkane source, and the hydrogen isotope fractionation effect during the condensation process should be a pollution mechanism for the commercial district during the heating period; the δD distribution difference of n-C16 to n-C18 between the two periods in the residential and industrial districts was consistent, which indicates a similar source of fossil fuel combustion and a similar isotope fractionation effect during the non-heating period.

Analysis of concentrations trends and origins of PM10in selected European cities

Particulate matter is generated in many natural and anthropogenic processes and, therefore, taking part in chemical reactions and physical processes in the atmosphere could affect human health, climate, and natural environment. The dust, after emission to the atmosphere, remains there in a floating state to form an atmospheric aerosol with different properties – depending on the morphology, the fraction, shape, surface, and chemical composition of the particles. The chemical composition of particulate matter is heterogeneous and depends on the type of emission sources and the time of residence in the atmosphere. The contribution of individual types of sources in the total dust emission is different in European countries. The aim of the study was to analyze the concentrations of PM10 at urban background and traffic stations in the chosen 17 European cities. For this purpose, the data from the database of the European Environment Agency and Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection was used. The annual average concentrations of 10 and daily average concentrations of PM10 in 2014 will be presented to confirm that in the European cities there is a problem about high 10 concentrations, especially in Poland and other eastern countries. In the case of daily average 10 concentration, the highest concentrations of pollutants in the winter season suggests that for the low air quality in these cities the phenomenon of so- called low-stack-emissions from the municipal sector is responsible.

DISPERSIÓN DE MATERIAL PARTICULADO (PM10), CON INTERRELACIÓN DE FACTORES METEOROLÓGICOS Y TOPOGRÁFICOS

Los procesos minero-industriales llevados a cabo por acción antrópica, traen consigo la generación de impactos al medio ambiente; entre los asociados a la minería está la afectación de la calidad del aire producida por la liberación de contaminantes atmosféricos, siendo objeto de estudio el comportamiento de la fracción respirable de material particulado menor a 10 micras (PM10) con respecto a los factores meteorológicos y topográficos. Los escenarios analizados en el estudio involucraron tiempos de exposición diario y anual de PM10, para los cuales se hizo la modelación con el Software AERMOD View. El modelo se corrió para dos zonas topográficas, una zona compleja ubicada en el Municipio de Socha y una zona simple ubicada en el Municipio de Sogamoso. Se empleó información meteorológica horaria de tipo satelital, en formato .SAM para las zonas modeladas. Se identificaron tres tipos de fuentes de emisión en las zonas; teniendo que, predominan las fijas dispersas, seguido de las móviles y en baja proporción las puntuales. Los modelos de dispersión de PM10 realizados para las zonas de topografía simple y compleja, dieron como resultado que la dirección y velocidad del viento está condicionada por la misma. Ésta permitió un flujo libre en la dirección predominante en la rosa de vientos para la zona de topografía simple y un flujo turbulento en la zona compleja. Se determinó que los focos de emisión dePM10 en ambos casos son de escala local; estos presentaron un radio crítico de arrastre y deposición de partículas de 200 m aproximadamente.