Worst Environmental Conditions Research Articles

Reducing the Adverse Effects of Salt Stress by Utilizing Compost Tea and Effective Microorganisms to Enhance the Growth and Yield of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Plants

One of the worst environmental conditions limiting crop plant productivity is salinity. As a result, ecologically friendly methods are urgently needed to boost the development and yield of wheat growing on saltine soils. Two-year field studies to examine the effects of applying compost tea (CT) and effective microorganisms (EMs; Azospirillum brasilense, Pseudomonas koreensis, and Bacillus circulans) on the growth and yield of two wheat cultivars, namely Sids 12 as a salinity susceptible cultivar and Misr 1 as a salinity resistant cultivar, under salt-affected soils. The findings corroborated our hypothesis that, in comparison to the control and the individual applications of EM or CT, the combined application (EM + CT) significantly improved growth, yield, uptake of nutrients, and photosynthetic characteristics. Furthermore, the combined application markedly (p ≤ 0.05) boosted the antioxidant enzymes. Our research showed that the combination treatment could increase soil microbial activity and activate critical soil enzymes, primarily dehydrogenase and urease. In general, the combination treatment has demonstrated a good effect in terms of stimulating plant development and raising element concentrations in wheat under salt stress.

Application of Fluctuating Asymmetry Values in Pelophylax ridibundus (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae) Meristic Traits as a Method for Assessing Environmental Quality of Areas with Different Degrees of Urbanization

In this paper, we assess the environmental impact of urbanization in three freshwater biotopes, using the levels of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in 10 meristic morphological traits in the Marsh Frog (Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771)). Two of the studied biotopes are located in the boundaries of the city of Plovdiv (one in the central part, the other in a suburban residential area), and the third is located in the vicinity of the village of Orizare. Our working hypothesis is based on the assumption that urban and suburban sites are more severely affected by human activities than rural sites. However, according to our results, the population of P. ridibundus inhabiting Maritsa River in the central part of Plovdiv City, and that in the suburban zone, have found relatively good living conditions. Contrary to our expectations, the worst environmental conditions were observed in the rural zone, where anthropogenic stress related to intensive pastoral animal husbandry and crop farming was present. The absence of adult individuals in the rural site is also an indicator of unfavorable living conditions.

A Study on the Applicability of Wood Preservatives to Wooden Cultural Properties by Aging Treatment

Wooden cultural heritage are exposed to the external environment as they and there are many difficulties in conservation due to their location and size. Among them, biological damage caused by termites or mold consumes a lot of money and time. Select and use wood preservatives to prevent biological damage: Wood preservatives were selected and the worst environmental conditions, temperature 60±3℃, humidity 55±5%, and light intensity of 0.35 W/m2, were subjected to aging treatment to analyze chemical changes. Through the deterioration process, it was confirmed that the change in color difference decreased in the wood preservative treatment compared to the Control group. As a result of measuring the content of the active ingredient contained in the deterioration process of the wood preservative, it was confirmed that the active ingredient content of Gori22 and Bondex Preserve Ⅲ was higher than that of the comparative Wood Keeper A. Through experiments, the shelf life and treatment period can be predicted by measuring the extent to which wood preservatives affect the change of wood specimens during the deterioration process and the content of active ingredients. In conclusion, various wood preservatives were prepared, and the possibility of selectively selecting wood preservatives according to the environment, topography and period was presented as a major evaluation factor.

Proposition and application of an environmental salubrity index in rural agglomerations.

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE Propose an Índice de salubridade ambiental (ISARural – environmental salubrity index) that expresses the conditions experienced in rural agglomerations, including indicators and subindicators for its subsequent application in rural communities in the state of Goiás.METHODS We developed the research in three phases: 1) previous analysis for the proposition of an ISARural, with the participation of seven specialists; 2) proposition of the ISARural by means of the Delphi method, starting with 168 specialists from 26 federative units of Brazil and Distrito Federal; and 3) application of the ISARural in 43 rural communities in the state of Goiás.RESULTS The proposed ISARural resulted in the composition of eight indicators, four of which related to basic sanitation, and the others to health, socioeconomic conditions, public services offered, and housing conditions. The weight assigned to each indicator ranged from 22.82% for the water supply indicator to 6.35% for the service indicator, it is possible to apply the ISARural fully or to evaluate each indicator individually. The application of ISARural in communities of Goiás classified 86% of them with low salubrity, highlighting the worst conditions for quilombola communities. The sanitary sewage had the lowest score among the ISARural indicators, requiring greater attention from public authorities.CONCLUSIONS This study contributed to the proposition of an index in line with the concept of environmental salubrity, useful in the scope of public policies as a conditioner for the prioritization of actions needed to improve the salubrity conditions identified. The proposed ISARural can be fully applied or used in the individual evaluation of each indicator of its composition. The results of its application made it possible to identify the communities with the worst environmental salubrity conditions and the indicators that require greater priority attention in the communities studied.

Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Surface Urban Heat Island and Thermal Comfort Using Landsat Satellite Images between 1989 and 2019: A Case Study in Tehran

Mapping and monitoring the spatio-temporal variations of the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) and thermal comfort of metropolitan areas are vital to obtaining the necessary information about the environmental conditions and promoting sustainable cities. As the most populated city of Iran, Tehran has experienced considerable population growth and Land Cover/Land Use (LULC) changes in the last decades, which resulted in several adverse environmental issues. In this study, 68 Landsat-5 and Landsat-8 images, collected from the Google Earth Engine (GEE), were employed to map and monitor the spatio-temporal variations of LULC, SUHI, and thermal comfort of Tehran between 1989 and 2019. In this regard, planar fitting and Gaussian Surface Model (GSM) approaches were employed to map SUHIs and derive the relevant statistical values. Likewise, the thermal comfort of the city was investigated by the Urban Thermal Field Variance Index (UTFVI). The results indicated that the SUHI intensities have generally increased throughout the city by an average value of about 2.02 °C in the past three decades. The most common reasons for this unfavorable increase were the loss of vegetation cover (i.e., 34.72%) and massive urban expansions (i.e., 53.33%). Additionally, the intra-annual investigations in 2019 revealed that summer and winter, with respectively 8.28 °C and 4.37 °C, had the highest and lowest SUHI magnitudes. Furthermore, the decadal UTFVI maps revealed notable thermal comfort degradation of Tehran, by which in 2019, approximately 52.35% of the city was identified as the region with the worst environmental condition, of which 59.94% was related to human residents. Additionally, the relationships between various air pollutants and SUHI intensities were appraised, suggesting positive relationships (i.e., ranging between 0.23 and 0.43) that can be used for establishing possible two-way mitigations strategies. This study provided analyses of spatio-temporal monitoring of SUHI and UTFVI throughout Tehran that urban managers and policymakers can consider for adaption and sustainable development.

Integrated use of condition indexes, genotoxic and cytotoxic biomarkers for assessing pollution effects in fish (Mullus barbatus L., 1758) on the West coast of Algeria

Coastal pollution is a severe threatens to aquatic organisms. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the temporal and spatial variability of the biological responses of Mullus barbatus collected between autumn 2019 and summer 2020 from two impacted areas and a control site, along the Algerian west coast. Besides the condition indexes (gonadosomatic index GSI, hepatoso-matic index HSI and Fulton’s condition factor K), the micronucleus test (MNT) and the neutral red retention time (NRRT) assay were measured in erythro-cytes. The results revealed a significant correlation between the different fish condition indexes, in link with their reproduction cycle at the three sam-pling sites. Also, GSI, HSI and K showed significant differences between the sites (p<0.05), highlighting the fact that the worst environmental conditions occur at the polluted sites in comparison to the reference one. The study of the two biomarkers showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in the frequency of micronuclei (MN) occurrence in the summer period correlated with signifi-cantly (p<0.05) shorter NRRT. In addition, the erythrocytes of M. barbatus populations from the so-called polluted areas presented statistically (p<0.05) higher MN frequencies and shorter NRRT than those of the reference site. This work should contribute to the validation of the use both of the condi-tion indexes (GSI, HSI and K) and the biomarkers (MN and NRRT tests) in bio-monitoring studies of the marine environment since they allowed to deter-mine the level of exposure to the general environmental stress of the investi-gated red mullet populations and, consequently, the quality of their biotope.

Economic and Environmental Changes in Shenzhen—A Technology Hub in Southern China

Shenzhen has been established as the technology and innovation center in China. The study reviews its economic development and environmental change over the past four decades. Specifically, it tests whether environmental Kuznets curve relationship between haze as a proxy indicator of environmental condition and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita holds in Shenzhen. The study also examines the contribution of Shenzhen’s secondary sector to its GDP and highlights some changes in the computer, communication and electronic product manufacturing industries over the years. We collected the official data from the Shenzhen Municipal Government. Economic, social and environmental changes in Shenzhen were identified using tables and stacked graphs. Environmental Kuznets curve revealed that the worst environmental condition appeared in Shenzhen during the period 2003–2004. Environmental analysis showed that Shenzhen’s computer, communication and electronic product manufacturing industries consumed 52,595 TJ of energy and produced 10.1 million tons CO2-eq in 2019. As gross output value of the industries was USD 336 billion in 2019, the industries had an energy efficiency of 156,716 MJ/million USD and an emission efficiency of 30.6 tons CO2-eq/million USD, improving by 74% and 65%, respectively, since 2008. Nevertheless, the industries should focus more on high value-added and low energy-intensive technologies and innovations. Additionally, the Shenzhen Government shall increase the use of clean energy sources such as nuclear, wind and solar power in order to sustain the continual improvement of energy and emission efficiencies for all industries.

Risk Analysis of One-Way Road Tunnel Tube Used for Bi-Directional Traffic under Fire Scenarios

We have set up a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling, and performed a user evacuation model, for evaluating the risk level in one-way road tunnel tube when used for bi-directional traffic in particular circumstances. The simulations were carried out by considering both peak-hour traffic volumes during the day and off-peak hours overnight. The investigated one-way tube is ventilated by natural ventilation only, and has a length of less than 1000 m. With reference to the worst environmental conditions, which are downstream of the fire due to the direction of natural ventilation, the consequences on escaping users, caused by different types of burning vehicles located in various longitudinal positions along the tube, are shown. The results prove the positive effects on environmental conditions (in terms of temperature, visibility distance, CO and CO2 concentration) along the user evacuation path when the tube is used for bi-directional traffic at night rather than daytime. Only for the case of 100 MW fire and in the proximity of the exit portal, the last escaping user might be affected by a visibility distance and CO concentration exceeding the threshold values. In this special case, countermeasures for reducing smoke concentration or emergency services at the portals should be provided. However, the quantitative risk analysis, based on a probabilistic approach, showed that the F-N curve of the tube when used for bi-directional traffic with reference to the night always lies below that of the daytime, and the reduction in the risk level is between 80 and 100% for the night traffic compared to daytime one. It is to be focused on the fact that our modeling may represent a reference in investigating the effects of hourly traffic volumes on the risk level in tunnels and may help decisionmakers in understanding when to temporarily close a tube for maintenance, repair, or rehabilitation activities and use the adjacent tube for bi-directional traffic.

Effects of harvesting intensity and site conditions on biomass production of northern Patagonia shrublands

Forest biomass with energy purpose is gaining importance. Although there is a lot of information about afforestation for energy purpose, native resource management for biofuel production is a less studied topic. Consequently, generating information about management of local forest types that have potential for providing biomass for energy, such as resprouting shrublands, becomes a priority objective. We evaluated the effects of harvesting intensity on coppice growth in three resprouting shrublands with contrasting site conditions in northern Patagonia (Argentina). At each site, three harvesting treatments in strips of increasing width were randomly assigned to six permanent plots of 31.5 × 45 m during 2013–2014. Four years after, we measured resprouts (number and size of stems) of the five native dominant species. We found that almost all species responded to harvesting intensity by enhancing the coppice growth rates. Nonetheless, species showed different strategies for resource obtention. When analyzing at the community level, the response to harvesting intensity was consistent among the hillside sites, but conservative in the valley bottom site with the worst environmental conditions. Due to the high response of these species to harvesting intensity, we conclude that intense shrubland management for biomass commercialization could be a viable option depending on site conditions.

Metal-Associated Biomarker Responses in Crabs from a Marine Protected Area in Southeastern Brazil

The environmental quality of a Ramsar wetland site located at the Cananéia-Iguape-Peruíbe Protected Area (CIP-PA), in São Paulo, Brazil, was assessed by geochemical analyses and biomarker assessments (GPx, GST, GSH, GST, MT, LPO, DNA damage) performed in swimming crab Callinectes danae Smith, 1869 organs (posterior and anterior gills and hepatopancreas) to estimate sediment contaminant bioavailability. The results indicated that two sampling stations, PT and PM, exhibited the worst environmental conditions, as sediments collected at both points contained metal contamination, while crabs exhibited significant responses for GPx, GST, and LPO (mostly during winter). Sediment contamination tended to be associated to fine sediments (both seasons) and organic matter (winter). During the summer survey, Pb concentrations in sediments of station PT exceeded the Brazilian Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) and the Canadian Interim Marine Sediment Quality Guidelines. Metal concentrations in sediments sampled in winter were higher compared with summer, with Co, Ni, and Pb exceeding SQGs levels at PT, whereas Co, Ni, Hg, Zn, and Pb exceeded SQGs at PM. Biomarker induction during summer appeared to be caused by natural variables (water salinity and temperature, and molting cycle), whereas oxidative stress and tissue damage during winter appeared to be more clearly linked to metal contamination. Anterior gills presented the clearest signs of seasonal variability, being more responsive to sediment contamination. The results suggest that metals originated from the upper Ribeira de Iguape River are transported toward the estuarine system, causing effects on C. danae individuals. Additionally, seasonality is a strong factor concerning CIP-PA toxicity, since the rainfall regime significantly modifies the freshwater flow and, consequently, estuarine water salinity, suspended particle and metal inputs, as well as the location of depositional areas. Thus, efforts to mitigate CIP-PA contamination should be based on the control of upstream pollution sources.

Sediment quality of a Ramsar site assessed by chemical and ecotoxicological approaches

The sediment quality of the Protected Cananéia-Iguape-Peruíbe Area (APA-CIP), listed as one of the Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Site), was assessed through geochemical and ecotoxicological analyses, in order to determine if organic and inorganic contaminants retained in the sediments were bioavailable to benthic organisms and could trigger negative effects. Lethal (Tiburonella viscana) and sublethal (Lytechinus variegatus and Nitokra sp.) ecotoxicological endpoints were assessed, as well as sediment texture and organic and inorganic contaminants in sediments obtained at six stations distributed along the APA-CIP. Sites under the influence of the maximum turbidity zone and close to the main local urban center (Cananéia city) presented the worst environmental conditions, indicated by sediment toxicities and high contaminants levels. These conditions may be associated to fine-grained sediments. Metal (Pb, Co, Ni and Zn) concentrations exceeded the regional Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) at stations PT and PM, while Pb also exceeded the Canadian Interim Marine Sediment Quality Guidelines (ISQGs). Total Aliphatic Hydrocarbons (AH) were close to threshold sediment contamination values at PT (maximum turbidity zone). These findings indicate that metals from former mining activities reach APA-CIP, in addition to contaminants from local sources (urban centers, docks, fishing wharfs). Contaminants accumulate in low energy regions, where fine particle and organic matter contents are high. Toxicities appeared to be associated to contaminants, suggesting that the multiple local anthropogenic sources can produce ecological risks, indicating the need for multiple efforts to control external and internal contamination sources in this protected estuarine area.

Role of Dental Pathologies and other Anomalies in Forensic Identification of Unknown Human Skeletal Remains: a Review

Teeth are the most resistant and hardest structures of human body which are usually better preserved than other parts of skeleton and maintain their forensic odontological significance for a comparatively longer period of time. They retain their unique features even in the worst environmental conditions from taphonomic degradations to biological or chemical destructions. They can survive all sorts of natural or man-made disasters and the taphonomic destructions. Besides the unique odontological, molecular and chemical characteristics of teeth; the dental pathologies and structural anomalies also play crucial role in forensic identification of unknown human skeletal remains. The idiosyncratic features like tooth staining/coloration patterns, developmental defects, tooth wear and attritions, dental restorations/implants, cultural tooth modifications, tobacco or nut-chewing signs, occupational stigmas etc., act as valuable adjuncts to forensic examination of teeth found in forensic or bio-archaeological contexts. Dental pathologies and anomalies may reflect the oral hygiene, dietary patterns (like consumption of sweets and sugar, fats, proteins) socio-economic or socio-cultural, and the occupational status of an individual. Present review article presents a brief overview of different dental defects and their putative role in forensic anthropological identification of unknown human remains.

Modeling of atmospheric dispersion of sodium fire aerosols for environmental impact analysis during accidental leaks

In this study a chemical kinetic model which converts sodium oxide aerosols to sodium carbonate aerosols as a function of CO2 and humidity is implemented in the FLEXPART atmospheric dispersion model for impact assessment during sodium fire accidents in sodium cooled fast reactors. The model is validated with open environment aerosol dispersion experiments conducted at Kalpakkam coastal site. Simulated total aerosol concentrations and deposition agree with experimental data. Simulations indicate rapid conversion of NaOH to Na2CO3 during atmospheric transport under high humidity levels (57–80%) at Kalpakkam. Parametric tests with different particle size indicated that a particle diameter of 5 μm produced realistic aerosol deposition closely comparing with observations. A series of simulations were conducted for various meteorological conditions to assess the chemical impact in a range of 25 km during a postulated accident. Simulations for extended 8-h release scenarios in different seasonal flow conditions indicate the concentrations beyond 1.5 km fall to very low values (≤0.1 mg/m3 for NaOH and ≤4 mg/m3 for Na2CO3) indicating no chemical impact. Short-duration (1 h) releases during worst environmental conditions (sea breeze, low winds) indicate that the aerosol concentrations during sea breeze are about 4–5 times high compared to winter time calm winds due to wide diffusion of aerosols in winter. The concentrations in these two cases are found to be higher (∼0.2 mg/m3 for NaOH and 6 mg/m3 for Na2CO3) in the site distance range but thereafter rapidly fall, thus indicating no inhalation hazard during sodium fire scenarios at the coastal site.

Optimization of Thermal Control Methods for Electronics in High Latitude Balloon Flights

In the present study, the thermal model of the Esrange Balloon Service System is developed. The thermal model is used to accurately predict the temperatures of the electronics within the system in order to optimize the thermal control methods. Passive thermal control methods are investigated in this research to maintain the temperature within the required range for all the environmental conditions. White paint and styrofoam with different thicknesses were analyzed as control hardware. The worst cases for the equipment were identified by selecting the worst environmental conditions along with the extreme power modes of the electronics. The thermal model was developed and transient analysis was performed for the worst cases. The results obtained from the analysis of the thermal model were studied to select the control method that could maintain the temperature in a desired range for longer flight hours. After analyzing the paint and styrofoam with different thicknesses, it was found that styrofoam with a thickness of 50 mm was the most optimum control method satisfying all these conditions. The thermal model was verified by comparing the results with the actual balloon flight data. The temperature data obtained during the flight had close correlation with the results obtained from the thermal model.

New battery model considering thermal transport and partial charge stationary effects in photovoltaic off-grid applications

The optimization of the battery pack in an off-grid Photovoltaic application must consider the minimum sizing that assures the availability of the system under the worst environmental conditions. Thus, it is necessary to predict the evolution of the state of charge of the battery under incomplete daily charging and discharging processes and fluctuating temperatures over day-night cycles.Much of previous development work has been carried out in order to model the short term evolution of battery variables. Many works focus on the on-line parameter estimation of available charge, using standard or advanced estimators, but they are not focused on the development of a model with predictive capabilities. Moreover, normally stable environmental conditions and standard charge-discharge patterns are considered. As the actual cycle-patterns differ from the manufacturer's tests, batteries fail to perform as expected.This paper proposes a novel methodology to model these issues, with predictive capabilities to estimate the remaining charge in a battery after several solar cycles. A new non-linear state space model is proposed as a basis, and the methodology to feed and train the model is introduced. The new methodology is validated using experimental data, providing only 5% of error at higher temperatures than the nominal one.

ЛАНДШАФТНЫЕ ОСОБЕННОСТИ АНТРОПОГЕННОЙ ТРАНСФОРМАЦИИ ПРИРОДНОЙ СРЕДЫ БРЕСТСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

This paper analyzes the patterns of anthropogenic transformation of landscapes in the Brest region, as measured by value indicators such as forest cover (and geo-ecological coefficient based on it), the density of rural population, the share of residential landscapes. Correlation between nature properties of landscapes underlying their classification, and these indicators was detected. It was found that the genera of landscapes, which represent the maximum disturbance, are secondary-moraine and moraine-outwash landscapes, the subgenera of landscapes are with a cover and a discontinuous cover of glacial sandy loams. The least disturbance is distinctive for secondary water-glacial and alluvial terraced landscapes and among genera – with superficial cover of water-glacial sands and with superficial bedding of peat and sand. The necessity of protected areas network optimization is shown. The results showed a significant imbalance between the ecological condition of the landscape which belong to certain classification groups and their representation in the protected areas system of the region. Landscapes with the worst ecological situation, as a rule, occupy a small proportion among all landscapes of protected areas. This case does not allow carrying out fully the tasks of protection and restoration of the diversity of ecosystems of the region. Among genera share of protected areas is much greater than the share of the region generally occupy wetland and floodplain landscapes. Moraine-outwash landscapes, characterized by a critical environmental condition are not represented in the protected areas system. Among subgenera areas in protected territories are far larger than in the region are characterized for landscapes with superficial stratification of peat and sand, considerably smaller – for landscapes with a cover of water-glacial sandy loams and loams, ecological condition of which is estimated as critical. Thus, the existing network of protected areas in Brest region needs to be optimized be including those genera and subgenera of landscapes, which are characterized by the worst environmental condition and restore these areas to natural communities.

Fuzzy Logic Based Energy Management For Wind Turbine, Photo Voltaic And Diesel Hybrid System

Rapid population growth with high living standards and high electronics use for personal comfort has raised the electricity demand exponentially. To fulfill this elevated demand, conventional energy sources are shifting towards low production cost and long term usable alternative energy sources. Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) are becoming popular as stand-alone power systems for providing electricity in remote areas due to advancement in renewable energy technologies and subsequent rise in prices of petroleum products. Wind and solar power are considered feasible replacement to fossil fuels as the prediction of the fuel shortage in the near future, forced all operators involved in energy production to explore this new and clean source of power. Presented paper proposes fuzzy logic based Energy Management System (EMS) for Wind Turbine (WT), Photo Voltaic (PV) and Diesel Generator (DG) hybrid micro-grid configuration. Battery backup system is introduced for worst environmental conditions or high load demands. Dump load along with dump load controller is implemented for over voltage and over speed protection. Fuzzy logic based supervisory control system performs the power flow control between different scenarios such as battery charging, battery backup, dump load activation and DG backup in most intellectual way.

Air dehumidification by cooled adsorption in silica gel grains. Part I: Experimental development of a prototype

This work deals with the development and testing of a fixed-bed adsorption dehumidifier, designed to manage the latent load in air conditioning. The system is based on the batch operation of two finned tube heat exchangers, where silica gel grains are packed between the fins. The water flow in the tubes provides the required heat supply and rejection, allowing a quasi-isothermal operation. As a result, the heat supply temperature can be reduced below 55°C, fostering the use of waste heat and solar thermal collectors. Moreover, the inversion of the air flow direction between the operating stages is not needed to achieve suitable levels of dehumidification, enabling a design simplification. The test campaign has shown that the electric and thermal performances of the low-cost prototype highly depend on the operating conditions, but both reach very promising values under the worst environmental conditions, when the energy consumption is higher.

Valuing shifts in the distribution of visibility in national parks and wilderness areas in the United States

Environmental regulations often have the objective of eliminating the lower tail of an index of environmental quality. That part of the distribution of environmental quality moves somewhere above a threshold and where in the original distribution it moves is a function of the control strategy chosen. This paper provides an approach for estimating the economic benefits of different distributional changes as the worst environmental conditions are removed. The proposed approach is illustrated by examining shifts in visibility at Class I visibility areas (National Parks and wilderness areas) that would occur with implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Haze Program. In this application we show that people value shifts in the distribution of visibility and place a higher value on the removal of a low visibility day than on the addition of a high visibility day. We found that respondents would pay about $120 per year in the Southeast U.S. and about $80 per year in the Southwest U.S. for improvement programs that remove the 20% worst visibility days.

THE FORMATION OF BENZ(A)PYRENE IN THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL OIL IN THE BOILER FURNACE

The analysis of the parameters influencing the rate of formation of benz(a)pyrene combustion of fossil fuels in power plants. Established the functional dependence of the influence of net calorific value of fuel oil at the conditions of generation of benz(a)pyrene in the combustion chamber of the boiler. The methods of calculating the benz(a)pyrene content in the flue gases taking into account the influence of heat applied to the active combustion zone with the fuel, air, gas recirculation and moisture (water or steam) characterizing the mechanism and intensity of the combustion process of fuel oil. The heat of combustion of the fuel determines the mechanism of the process of generation of benz(a)pyrene. The presence of heavy hydrocarbons contributes to greater release of carcinogens and worst environmental conditions of the combustion process. Therefore, for meaningful emissions reductions benz(a)pyrene combustion of heavy fuel oil needed to conduct research on burnout and low-grade alloreactive fuel, especially when using high sulfur content of fuel oils and fuel oils with high content of heavy hydrocarbons.