A comparative study of US EPA 1996 and 1999 emission inventories in the west Gulf of Mexico coast region, USA

Emission inventory is one of the required inputs to air quality models. To assist in the urban and regional modeling efforts, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has compiled a National Emission Inventory (NEI) for criterion pollutants, and the precursors of ozone and particulate matter (PM). In December 2002, EPA released the 1999 NEI estimates (NEI99), which represent the most recent national emission data. However, the data sets are not in model-ready format for air quality simulations. This present work converts the NEI99 Final Version 2 data sets into Inventory Data Analyzer (IDA) format and processes the data using the Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) modeling system to generate a gridded emission inventory in a domain covering the west Gulf Coast Region, USA. The spatial and diurnal emission characteristics of the gridded emission inventories are then assessed and compared with those of the National Emission Trend 1996 (NET96). The NEI99 database contains more complete emission records in both area and point sources. It is also found that NEI99 data exhibit greater emissions with respect to point and mobile sources but smaller emissions with respect to area sources when compared to the corresponding gridded NET96 data in the same study domain. The most distinct differences between the NEI99 and NET96 databases are CO emission of mobile sources, SO2 emissions of point sources, and VOC/PM/NH3/NOx emissions of area and non-road sources. The gridded NEI99 data show low VOC/NOx ratios (<2-5) in the urban areas of the study domain.     

Sensitivity analysis of ground-level ozone concentration to emission changes in two urban regions of southeast Texas

Air pollutant emission is one of the predominant factors affecting urban air quality such as ground-level ozone formation. This paper assesses the impact of changing emission inventory scenarios, based on combinations of point, mobile, area/non-road and biogenic sources, on the tropospheric ozone concentration in two southeast Texas urban areas, i.e. Houston-Galveston and Beaumont-Port Arthur, during the rapid ozone formation event (ROFE) on August 25, 2000. The EPA's Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system with 1999 national emission inventory (NEI99) estimates and updated SAPRC99 chemical mechanism are used in the sensitivity analysis for twelve different emission scenarios. Based on model results, it is found that the point source emission of NOx and VOC contributes the greatest ozone peak in the ROFE. Removing Texas point sources of VOC and NOx emission from the inventory results in a reduction in peak O3 concentration by 128 and 70 ppbv in Houston urban area, respectively. Similar but less drastic impact from point source is also observed in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area. The effect on peak ozone concentration due to mobile, area and non-road sources emissions are less significant compared to that of point source emission. Reducing VOC emission appears to be more effective than reducing NOx emission in lowering peak O3 concentration in the studied region. Although biogenic emission can contribute up to 37 ppbv of peak ozone level over a large area, the affected area is away from the urban region of concern, and should not be the main cause for O3 non-attainment in the two urban areas. Removing CO emission from mobile sources does not lead to significant reduction (< 1 ppbv) in ozone concentrations. The modeled data also show that the transport of O3 precursors from adjacent states can cause a significant ozone plume near Beaumont due to its proximity to the state border based on the conditions during the August 25, 2000 O3 episode.     

中国农业与工程机械尾气减排控制措施的费效分析

移动源尾气排放已成为我国空气污染的主要来源之一,相比于道路移动源来说,非道路移动源尾气排放的减排控制工作仍处于初级阶段。本研究就非道路移动源尾气减排控制的三种主要措施——整车淘汰、发动机更换以及发动机维修,对中国非道路工程和农业机械进行费效分析,探讨经济可行的控制途径。研究假设农业和工程机械的使用年限分别为15年和10年,同时假设采取减排措施后所有机械均达到国IV排放标准。研究表明,采取减排措施后,农业机械每年可减排NOx 40万～45万t,但PM污染物减排效益不明显;工程机械每年可减排NOx约52万t,且PM污染物每年可减排量约16万t,但费用可高达2000亿～25 000亿元,且不同措施的差别巨大,以整车淘汰费用最高。多数农业机械发动机维修所需费用高于发动机更换,相反,工程机械发动机更换所需费用高于发动机维修。因此,在采用减排措施和制定政策时,需要根据实际情况进行调整。对农业机械,采用发动机更换的减排方式更经济;对工程机械,采用发动机维修的减排措施更实惠。     

基于VMAS四川省在用点燃式轻型车尾气污染削减预测

针对四川省在用车辆尾气污染情况开展了详细的调查研究,结果表明四川省机动车尾气污染中约71.3%的CO、68.6%的HC、95.3%的NOx和99.2%的PM均来自于汽车尾气。同时分析得出简易瞬态工况法是在用车辆尾气排放控制的有效控制方法,有利于四川省大气环境质量的改善,经预测采用简易瞬态工况法以及简易瞬态工况法排放标准后可使四川省在用点燃式轻型车尾气排放的CO削减约28.76%~50.48%,HC+NOx削减约1.53%~23.24%。     

中国人类活动源非甲烷挥发性有机物（NMVOC）排放总量及分布

研究了各污染源的NMVOC排放因子,重点分析化工产储源的NMVOC排放因子,估计了1998～2007年中国各地区、各污染源挥发性有机物（NMVOC）排放总量,并研究了各污染源NMVOC各成分的分布特征。研究表明,近年来NMVOC排放总量呈上升趋势,2007年中国人类活动排放NMVOC总量达到2380.24万吨,是1998年的1.8倍。其中固定源燃烧排放958.95万吨（生物质燃料842.27万吨）,交通源478.62万吨,溶剂应用408.23万吨,化工产储源301.11万吨,石油储运和精炼131.84万吨,混杂源101.49万吨。本研究为挥发性有机物（VOC）总量控制提供参考。     

Controlling urban air pollution caused by households: uncertainty, prices, and income

We examine the control of air pollution caused by households burning wood for heating and cooking in the developing world. Since the problem is one of controlling emissions from nonpoint sources, regulations are likely to be directed at household choices of wood consumption and combustion technologies. Moreover, these choices are subtractions from, or contributions to, the pure public good of air quality. Consequently, the efficient policy design is not independent of the distribution of household income. Since it is unrealistic to assume that environmental authorities can make lump sum income transfers part of control policies, efficient control of air pollution caused by wood consumption entails a higher tax on wood consumption and a higher subsidy for more efficient combustion technologies for higher income households. Among other difficulties, implementing a policy to promote the adoption of cleaner combustion technologies must overcome the seemingly paradoxical result that efficient control calls for higher technology subsidies for higher income households.     

应用CALINE4模式估算机动车排放污染物的浓度——以济南市主干道为例

随着经济的快速发展,机动车排气污染已成为我国城市空气污染的重要来源,而且在一定时段,机动车排气污染已成为空气污染最主要的污染源之一。以济南市经十路为例,采用实地调查的方法,得出各时段的车流量,选用大气环评助手EIAA中的CALINE4模式对机动车尾气中的主要污染物CO、NOx、THC的排放浓度进行估算,得出3种污染物CO、NOx、THC最大值均出现在7:00—8:00之间,最小值均出现在12:00-13:00之间,排放强度由大到小为:CO、THC、NOx。     

2020年第一季度枣庄市PM2.5源解析的分析研究

为了评估分析枣庄市不同来源污染物排放强度削减与大气环境质量变化之间的关系,使用统计方法和正定矩阵因子分解法对枣庄市2020年第一季度大气污染变化特征和污染来源进行了解析,探究了枣庄市大气固体悬浮微粒浓度变化影响机制。结果表明:2020年第一季度PM2.5、PM10、NO2、SO2浓度较2019年同期显著下降,但枣庄市采暖季内社会活动造成的正常排放仍高于大气环境容量;受新冠疫情影响,2020年较2019年PM2.5源因子浓度削减最大的为机动车源(46.5%)和工业源(17.9%),应长期采取机动车减排、产业结构调整等措施,科学规划“十四五”大气污染防治。     

青岛市挥发性有机物排放清单及重点行业排放特征研究

根据收集的青岛市九大类排放源的活动水平数据,本研究采用排放因子法结合调研实测等工作建立了青岛市VOCs源排放清单,结果表明,工业企业VOCs排放占总排放的比例达到43.17%。其中,工艺过程源类中排放占比较高的行业依次为橡胶和塑料制品业、非金属矿物制品业、原油加工及石油制品制造业、化学原料和化学制品制造业、黑色金属冶炼和压延加工业等;溶剂使用源类中排放占比较高的行业为金属制品业、皮革皮毛羽毛制品和制鞋业、印刷业、铁路船舶航空等设备制造业、汽车制造业等。通过对重点行业重点企业进行入场调研采样分析,本研究发现不同行业中VOCs组成特征有差异,多数行业VOCs物种排放以卤代烃、芳香烃、烷烃等为主,纺织印染业、制鞋业等部分行业以含氧有机物排放为主。通过调研和实测对部分行业的VOCs排放因子水平做了本地化深入研究,调研统计青岛市约49%的企业安装了VOCs治理设施;在企业所安装的VOCs治理设施中吸附法占比最大,占比为26%。     

Alternative energy balances for Bulgaria to mitigate climate change

Alternative energy balances aimed to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are developed as alternatives to the baseline energy balance. The section of mitigation options is based on the results of the GHG emission inventory for the 1987–1992 period. The energy sector is the main contributor to the total CO₂ emissions of Bulgaria. Stationary combustion for heat and electricity production as well as direct end-use combustion amounts to 80% of the total emissions. The parts of the energy network that could have the biggest influence on GHG emission reduction are identified. The potential effects of the following mitigation measures are discussed: rehabilitation of the combustion facilities currently in operation; repowering to natural gas; reduction of losses in thermal and electrical transmission and distribution networks; penetration of new combustion technologies; tariff structure improvement; renewable sources for electricity and heat production; wasteheat utilization; and supply of households with natural gas to substitute for electricity in space heating and cooking. The total available and the achievable potentials are estimated and the implementation barriers are discussed.

     

Estimation of biogenic emissions with satellite-derived land use and land cover data for air quality modeling of Houston-Galveston ozone nonattainment area

The Houston-Galveston Area (HGA) is one of the most severe ozone non-attainment regions in the US. To study the effectiveness of controlling anthropogenic emissions to mitigate regional ozone nonattainment problems, it is necessary to utilize adequate datasets describing the environmental conditions that influence the photochemical reactivity of the ambient atmosphere. Compared to the anthropogenic emissions from point and mobile sources, there are large uncertainties in the locations and amounts of biogenic emissions. For regional air quality modeling applications, biogenic emissions are not directly measured but are usually estimated with meteorological data such as photo-synthetically active solar radiation, surface temperature, land type, and vegetation database. In this paper, we characterize these meteorological input parameters and two different land use land cover datasets available for HGA: the conventional biogenic vegetation/land use data and satellite-derived high-resolution land cover data. We describe the procedures used for the estimation of biogenic emissions with the satellite derived land cover data and leaf mass density information. Air quality model simulations were performed using both the original and the new biogenic emissions estimates. The results showed that there were considerable uncertainties in biogenic emissions inputs. Subsequently, ozone predictions were affected up to 10 ppb, but the magnitudes and locations of peak ozone varied each day depending on the upwind or downwind positions of the biogenic emission sources relative to the anthropogenic NOx and VOC sources. Although the assessment had limitations such as heterogeneity in the spatial resolutions, the study highlighted the significance of biogenic emissions uncertainty on air quality predictions. However, the study did not allow extrapolation of the directional changes in air quality corresponding to the changes in LULC because the two datasets were based on vastly different LULC category definitions and uncertainties in the vegetation distributions.     

Health risks of residential wood heat

The resurgence in the use of wood in the United States for residential heating has been accompanied by a dramatic increase in deaths and injuries from residential fires. Toxic materials present in woodsmoke also appear to present a significant public health hazard. As a result of these factors, production of residential wood heat can be up to two orders of magnitude more hazardous than generation of an equivalent amount of electric energy at a coal-fired power plant. Proper care in installation and operation of wood stoves, as well as technological innovations that control wood-stove emissions, can greatly reduce the health and safety hazards of residential heating with wood.     

美国油气行业国家温室气体清单和报送体系

甲烷是由人类活动造成的仅次于二氧化碳的第二大温室气体,大幅度减少甲烷排放有助于降低近期温升,是实现巴黎协定目标的必要手段,也是中国实现“碳中和”目标的重要抓手。相比其他排放源,油气行业的甲烷减排最快、最有经济性。而有效的减排政策和监管必须建立在完整、准确的甲烷排放清单基础上。文章以甲烷为重点,概述了美国国家温室气体清单和油气行业的报送制度,介绍了两个报送体系的覆盖范围、要求等相关差异,说明了设施界定、排放因子和活动水平来源、监测方法以及有待改进之处,并针对中国油气行业甲烷排放数据的质量改善提出了建议。     

京津冀地区典型城市地表水质污染类型划分及驱动力研究

根据京津冀地区典型城市水环境污染的主要来源,选取工业COD排放量,工业氨氮排放量、工业废水排放量、生活COD排放量、生活氨氮排放量、生活污水排放量共6项指标,对区域经济发展水平与水污染物排放之间的关系进行研究。基于经济发展水平和污染排放特征,利用系统聚类法划分城市类型,利用回归分析研究污染排放指标对GDP的贡献。结果表明:京津冀地区废水及主要污染物排放特征存在明显的行政区划差异性:A类城市中,生活污染源已超越工业污染源成为该地区水污染物排放的重中之重;B类城市和C类城市污染控制重点仍需放在工业污染源减排上。经过多年努力,主要工业污染物排放量已得到了有效的控制,生活污水排放量已成为京津冀地区不容忽视的减排对象。今后,应在此基础上针对不同行政区划内的污染排放特征,加强政策的针对性。     

Abundances and flux estimates of volatile organic compounds from a dairy cowshed in Germany

Animal husbandry and manure treatment have been specifically documented as significant sources of methane, ammonia, nitrous oxide, and particulate matter. Although volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also produced, much less information exists concerning their impact. We report on chemical ionization mass spectrometry and photo-acoustic spectroscopy measurements of mixing ratios of VOCs over a 2-wk measurement period in a large cowshed at the Federal Agricultural Research Centre (FAL) in Mariensee, Germany. The high time resolution of these measurements enables insight into the sources of the emissions in a typical livestock management setting. During feeding hours and solid manure removal, large mixing ratio spikes of several VOCs were observed and correlated with simultaneous methane, carbon dioxide, and ammonia level enhancements. The subsequent decay of cowshed concentration due to passive cowshed ventilation was used to model emission rates, which were dominated by ethanol and acetic acid, followed by methanol. Correlations of VOC mixing ratios with methane or ammonia were also used to calculate cowshed emission factors and to estimate potential nationwide VOC emissions from dairy cows. The results ranged from around 0.1 Gg carbon per year (1 Gg = 10(9) g) for nonanal and dimethylsulfide, several Gg carbon per year for volatile fatty acids and methanol, to over 10 Gg carbon per year of emitted ethanol. While some estimates were not consistent between the two extrapolation methods, the results indicate that animal husbandry VOC emissions are dominated by oxygenated compounds and may be a nationally but not globally significant emission to the atmosphere.     

Comparing the effectiveness of education and technology in reducing wood smoke pollution: A field experiment

This study describes a field experiment assessing the effectiveness of education and technological innovation in reducing air pollution generated by domestic wood heaters. Two-hundred and twenty four households from a small regional center in Australia were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions: (1) Education only – households received a wood smoke reduction education pack containing information about the negative health impacts of wood smoke pollution, and advice about wood heater operation and firewood management; (2) SmartBurn only – households received a SmartBurn canister designed to improve combustion and help wood fires burn more efficiently, (3) Education and SmartBurn, and (4) neither Education nor SmartBurn (control). Analysis of covariance, controlling for pre-intervention household wood smoke emissions, wood moisture content, and wood heater age, revealed that education and SmartBurn were both associated with significant reduction in wood smoke emissions during the post-intervention period. Follow-up mediation analyses indicated that education reduced emissions by improving wood heater operation practices, but not by increasing health risk perceptions. As predicted, SmartBurn exerted a direct effect on emission levels, unmediated by wood heater operation practices or health risk perceptions.     

Impacts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from vehicular activities on the ambient air quality of Lagos mega city

In response to the growing concern about the contribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from vehicular activities in Lagos mega city and their effect on air quality, PAH emissions were estimated using the emission factors approach. To make these estimates, PAH emission factors were calculated from the profile ratio of four PAHs emitted from vehicle sources obtained from the European Environment Agency's emission inventory guidebook, whereas the total number of registered vehicles based on the type of fuel they use for a period of 10 years was obtained from Lagos State Bureau of Statistics. Vehicle emissions were estimated using a combination of individual emission factors, the total number of vehicles in use based on fuel type, and the average mileage covered. The average highest level of emission of PAHs of 3.542 kilograms (kg) for gasoline‐powered vehicles was obtained in 2013, whereas the average lowest level of emission of 2.679 kg was recorded for diesel‐powered vehicles in 2007. In the same manner, 2013 had highest annual average total emission of 6.384 kg, whereas the lowest annual total PAHs emission of 5.727 kg was recorded in 2007. It is therefore advised that effective control measure should be put in place by regulatory agency to prevent personnel exposure to these hazardous substances.     

Homeowner Attitudes and Practices Towards Residential Landscape Management in Ohio, USA

This study describes the results of a survey of 432 homeowners in Ohio, USA concerning their perceptions and practices regarding management of residential landscapes. The results reveal that outdoor residential environments are extremely important to homeowners, who tend to view their yards as serving multiple functions: a place to observe nature and to socialize as well as a place of beauty and recreation. Use of a lawn care company to apply chemicals is reported by 22 % of respondents, while 40 % either apply chemicals themselves or have someone other than a lawn care company do it. Logistic regressions reveal that factors influencing a homeowner's decision to employ a lawn care company or to apply chemicals themselves include: household income (+), perceived impacts on the environment (-), whether the next door neighbor does it (+), and type of residential environment (rural -, suburban and urban +). A theme that emerges throughout the study is the perceived importance of the role of the lawn in residents' sense of social status or acceptance in the neighborhood. This perception can be viewed as a positive in ensuring that residential environments are well maintained, but also as a negative resulting in environmental degradation or presenting a barrier to creativity in the development of alternative residential environments. Specific policy implications of these findings are that efforts aimed at educating homeowners about the environmental impacts of their lawn care choices are likely to have more success if they are directed at neighborhood groups rather than individuals, show that alternatives are easy to adopt, affordable, and can produce the characteristics of lawns that homeowners seek.     

Capturing fugitive methane emissions from natural gas compressor buildings

Fugitive methane emissions account for about 50% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Canadian conventional oil and gas sector. Sources include leaks in natural gas transmission facilities such as pipelines and compressor stations. There are three sources of methane emissions in a compressor station. The first is emissions resulting from incomplete combustion in the engine; the second is leaks in valves, flanges and other equipment in the building; and the third results from instrument venting. Fugitive methane emissions may be in low concentration relative to air, and thus cannot be destroyed by conventional combustion (below flammability limits of about 5-16%). The present study investigates the feasibility of capturing methane emissions from a compressor station. Computer modelling of the flow patterns of lean methane emissions inside the building is used to show the influence of doors, vents and leak location. Simulations show that for a typical building most fugitive methane exits through the ridge vent provided that the main doors remain closed. When the extraction rate through the ridge vent is controlled, the methane concentration is at acceptable levels for destruction in a catalytic flow reverse reactor, that is, in the range of 0.1-1% by volume.     

Characterization of coffee residues pellets and their performance in a residential combustor

Spent coffee grounds (SCG) and coffee husks (CH) were evaluated as biofuels, after densification, for energy production. CH represent a specific problem for the coffee industry due to a low calorific value, high ash content, and a very low bulk density. Hence, the energetic potential of SCG (95 wt%)/CH (5 wt%) blend and pure SCG (100%) were examined. The blend of SCG and CH was limited to 5 wt% of CH because of the low bulk density of CH. Therefore, physicochemical and energetic characterizations of the produced pellets were performed. Thermogravimetric analyses were performed under nitrogen and air atmospheres to evaluate the CH behavior in the blend. Characterization study shows that both produced pellets could reach the French Agropellets standard (AQI). Thermal degradation showed that the mean reactivity of the SCG/HC pellets was higher than pure SCG. Then, combustion experiments were performed in a domestic combustor, after modification of the boiler power in order to improve its energetic performances. The presence of CH led to a rise of CO, NOx, VOC’s, and particle emissions. Nevertheless, the performances of the biofuels are almost in agreement the NF EN 12809 standard.