Air pollution policies in Europe: efficiency gains from integrating climate effects with damage costs to health and crops

Emissions of air pollutants cause damage to health and crops, but several air pollutants also have an effect on climate through radiative forcing. We investigate efficiency gains achieved by integrating climate impacts of air pollutants into air quality strategies for the EU region. The pollutants included in this study are SO₂, NH₃, VOC, CO, NO_x, black carbon, organic carbon, PM_2.5, and CH₄. We illustrate the relative importance of climate change effects compared to damage to health and crops, as well as monetary gains of including climate change contributions. The analysis considers marginal abatement costs and compares air quality and climate damage in Euros. We optimize abatement policies with respect to both climate and health impacts, which imply implementing all measures that yield a net benefit. The efficiency gains of the integrated policy are in the order of 2.5 billion Euros, compared to optimal abatement based on health and crop damage only, justifying increased abatement efforts of close to 50%. Climate effect of methane is the single most important factor. If climate change is considered on a 20- instead of a 100-year time-scale, the efficiency gain almost doubles. Our results indicate that air pollution policies should be supplemented with climate damage considerations.     

Long-term reductions in costs of controlling regional air pollution in Europe due to climate policy

This paper examines to what extent climate change policies will alter the effectiveness of agreed-upon or future policies to reduce regional air pollution in Europe and vice versa. And when is it cost-effective to combat regional air pollution with clean technology instead of add-on technology?For this exercise, several extensions were made to the energy model TIMER, to introduce add-on abatement technologies, specified in terms of costs and reduction potentials, in order to be able to calculate cost-effective emission reduction strategies for different scenarios and regions.The results show that add-on technologies to reduce regional air pollution remain necessary throughout the century. The costs to reach the NO_x emission reduction targets in Europe are about three times as high as for SO₂. Mitigation costs averaged over the century by add-on technologies can be reduced by climate measures by 50–70% for SO₂ and around 50% for NO_x. The costs of SO₂ and NO_x mitigation by add-on technology in a world without climate policy are comparable or in some periods even higher than the costs of an integrated mitigation of SO₂, NO_x and CO₂ emissions if a reduction of specific costs by learning is, in contrast with energy technologies, not assumed for abatement technologies. So, the costs of SO₂ and NO_x add-on measures avoided by climate policies can outweigh the costs of these climate measures. The total annual costs are in the order of 1 or 2% of the present GDP, depending on the scenario.     

Sulfur dioxide,hydrogen sulfide,total reduced sulfur,chlorinated hydrocarbons and photochemical oxidants in southern California museums

Indoor and outdoor concentrations of the air pollutants ozone, NO₂, SO₂, H₂S, total reduced sulfur (TRS), peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), methyl chloroform and tetrachloroethylene, have been measured at three southern California museums. Indoor maxima were 175 ppb for NO₂, 77 ppb for O₃, 0.7 ppb for PAN, 1.2 ppb for C₂Cl₄, >6.3 ppb for CH₃CCl₃, 2.5 ppb for SO₂, 1.4 ppb for TRS, and 46 ppt for H₂S. Indoor levels and indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios for the chlorinated hydrocarbons pointed out to indoor sources. Outdoor and indoor levels of SO₂ and TRS were low at all three museums, but I/O ratios for SO₂ were high and averaged 0.89. H₂S concentrations were low, 16–46 ppt at one museum and less than 6 ppt at the other two museums. I/O ratios for the air pollutants with outdoor sources (ozone, PAN and NO₂) showed substantial variations, from low values of 0.02–0.33 at locations without influx of outdoor air to high values of 0.85–0.88 at locations experiencing high influx of outdoor air. Of the 10 institutions we have surveyed in southern California to date, eight exhibit high I/O ratios, e.g. 0.60–1.00 for PAN. Of the four museums surveyed that were equipped with HVAC and chemical filtration, only two yielded the expected low I/O ratios.     

Laboratory tests of KI and alkaline annular denuders

Annular denuders coated with KI and with alkaline solutions have been tested for their ability to remove atmospheric pollutants including ozone, NO₂, SO₂, formaldehyde, methyl nitrate and peroxyacetyl nitrate. Tests were carried out at flow rates of 0.4–2.0 ℓ min⁻¹, using particle-free ambient air as well as purified air to study the effect of atmospheric CO₂ on alkaline denuder performance. Denuders coated with KI were efficient in removing O₃, NO₂, SO₂ (> 95%) and PAN (84±3%) but not methyl nitrate (44%) and formaldehyde (<5%). Selective removal of PAN from NO₂, and vice versa, could be obtained with annular denuders coated with NaOH, which removed 100% PAN and ⩽15% NO₂, and with alkaline guaiacol, which removed ⩾99% NO₂ and ⩽6% PAN.     

Air quality management in China: Issues, challenges, and options

This article analyzed the control progress and current status of air quality,identified the major air pollution issues and challenges in future,proposed the long-term air pollution control targets,and ...     

Measurement and evaluation of acid air pollutants in Chicago using an annular denuder system

The cyclone/annular denuder/filter pack sampling system (ADS) was used to collect and evaluate ambient air pollutants in Chicago. Eighty-one 12-h samples, equally divided into day/night intervals, were collected from April 1990 to March 1991. The chemical species measured were HNO₃, HNO₂, SO₂ and NH₃ in the gas phase, and SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, NH₄⁺, and H⁺ in the particulate phase.The ADS data were collected simultaneously with PM10 samples. The particulate matter was analysed for elemental composition. These compositions were combined with the ADS observations and subjected to evaluation using a chemical mass balance receptor model (CMB). From the CMB analysis, the sum of the contributions from soil (15%), mobile (14%), incinerator (2%), coal (0.6%), steel (0.3%) and refinery (0.2%) was 32% of the PM10. NO₃⁻, which was not included in the fingerprints, represented an additional 9% of the PM10. Residual SO₄²⁻ and residual organic carbon, possibly formed in the atmosphere, represented an additional 22 and 20% of the PM10, respectively, leaving only 17% from other unidentified sources. From the standpoint of source contributions of sulfur and nitrogen compounds, coal combustion (23%) and refinery emissions (23%) are the major contributors of ambient sulfur (with 49% from unidentified sources). Mobile sources (87%) contributed most of the ambient nitrogen (with only 2% from unidentified sources).     

2017年厦门金砖会晤期间气象因素与管控措施对空气质量的影响

2017年厦门金砖会晤期间采取了大气污染临时管控措施,使AQI小时值和日均值均达到了双优的预期目标.本文根据管控措施实施的前、中、后阶段,厦门及周边城市大气污染物浓度的变化,对气象因素和人为因素的影响分别进行分析.结果发现,气态污染物对临时管控措施的敏感性最强,SO₂和NO₂的降幅（39.9%和25.6%）明显高于PM_2.5和PM₁₀的降幅（5.5%和4.8%）,台风外围带来的大风和降水可显著改变大气污染物的周期性变化规律.大气PM_2.5组成及SO₂/NO₂、SO₄^2-/NO₃^-、OC/EC和WSOC/OC等比值变化显示机动车（尤其是柴油货车）是本地区大气污染物的重要来源.控制变量分析显示,厦门金砖会晤期间气象因素对颗粒物和NO₂削减的贡献更大（20.3%）,而临时管控措施对SO₂的削减效果更明显（23.2%）,且有一半以上（51%~64%）的大气污染物来自外来源输送.     

Short-term impacts of air pollution on the platelet-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio among urban adults in China

The short-term impacts of urban air pollution on the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) remain obscure.In this study,we included 3487 urban adults from the Wuhan-Zhuhai cohort.Individual inhalation exposure to air pollutants was estimated by combining participants’daily breath volume and ambient concentrations of six air pollutants (includingfine particulate matter (PM_2.5),inhalable particulate matter(PM₁₀),nitrogen dioxide (NO₂...     

北京市控制大气污染四期紧急措施环境有效性分析

对北京市控制大气污染的四期紧急措施进行量化,分别计算出各项控制措施实施后的排放削减量,建立排放清单.采用空气质量模型,模拟了紧急措施实施的各阶段市区内一次大气污染物SO₂、NO_x和PM10浓度的时空分布情况,分析和评价了四期紧急措施的环境有效性.结果表明,四期紧急措施对SO₂和NO_x的控制效果较好,PM10的环境浓度下降不明显.     

城市道路隔离带绿化模式对人行道空气质量的影响评价

探讨城市道路绿化隔离带对于污染物的阻滞效应,以减少城市道路污染向两侧横向扩散,保护道路行人免受来自机动车道污染物的伤害具有重要的现实意义.因此,本研究在太原市区选择16条主干道(28个监测样点),以4种绿化植物配置模式(乔木+灌木+低绿篱、乔木+低绿篱、乔木、低绿篱)为研究对象,在无风或者微风(风速小于2 m·s-1)条件下对SO2、NOx、TSP和PM10等5种污染物进行现场监测.研究结果表明,城市道路绿化隔离带对于控制机动车道的主要污染物向非机动车道的扩散具有明显作用,绿化隔离带的植物模式差异会影响绿化带吸附和阻隔污染物能力的强弱.在此基础上,通过构建一个新的评价指标来比较各个模式在阻滞污染物方面的能力.结果显示,与其他模式相比,低绿篱模式和乔木+灌木+低绿篱模式分别对NH3和PM10具有更高的降低能力.对于SO2、NH3、NOx等气态污染物,以乔木(T)为配置模式的绿化带效果最佳,而对于TSP、PM10等颗粒污染物,乔木+灌木+低绿篱(TSH)模式的阻滞净效应最高.新评价指标能够准确定量评价绿化带植物对污染物阻滞效应能力的大小,具有较好的应用性.     

钢铁行业典型烧结机污染物排放特征对比研究

钢铁工业排放是引起空气污染的重要原因之一,烧结工序又是钢铁行业中的排放大户.鉴于此,选取了一台工艺相对落后但仍在我国中西部地区大量存在的90 m2小型步进式烧结机和一台工艺较为先进的450 m2大型带式烧结机,对两台烧结机不同点位的SO₂、NO_x、颗粒物以及烟气Hg等进行实测,并对颗粒物中的元素、水溶性离子、OC和EC进行分析,从而获取不同技术水平、不同污控措施下烧结机污染物排放特征以及与2019年生态环境部办公厅印发的《关于推进实施钢铁行业超低排放的意见》中的超低排放限值之间的差距.结果表明:①烧结机头SO₂、NO_x、CO、颗粒物和烟气Hg排放浓度分别为54.69~123.04 mg/m3、187.28~312.58 mg/m3、6 746.04~7 790.83 mg/m3、11.04~19.93 mg/m3和78.97~2 537.07 ng/m3,烧结机尾颗粒物排放浓度为0.76~16.22 mg/m3,机头颗粒物以PM_2.5为主,占比为81.02%~91.49%,机尾颗粒物主要为PM₁₀,占比为71.17%~73.01%.烧结机头SO₂、NO_x、颗粒物以及烧结机尾颗粒物还需分别减排36.00%~71.55%、73.30%~84.00%、9.40%~49.82%和0~38.35%才能满足超低排放限值.②烧结颗粒物主要成分为K、Ca、Na、Mg、Fe、Cl-、SO₄2-、NH₄+、OC和EC等,其占比与烧结机类型、烧结原辅料以及污染物控制措施等因素有关,石灰石-石膏法脱硫后SO₄2-占比增加28.12%,活性炭移动床脱硫后EC占比增加2.15%.③布袋除尘器对烧结机不同粒径颗粒物和烟气Hg的脱除能力比双室五电场静电除尘器分别高出1.25%~5.06%和9.51%,活性炭移动床系统对烧结不同粒径颗粒物以及烟气Hg的去除效果分别比石灰石-石膏法脱硫系统高出9.40%~11.38%和4.31%.研究显示,不同工艺、不同污控措施烧结机大气污染物排放特征存在一定差异,SO₂、NO_x排放浓度与超低排放限值差距较大,烟尘排放浓度与超低排放限值差距较小.      

Multi-process and multi-pollutant control technology for ultra-low emissions in the iron and steel industry

The iron and steel industry is not only an important foundation of the national economy, but also the largest source of industrial air pollution. Due to the current status of emissions in the iron and steel industry, ultra-low pollutant emission control technology has been researched and developed. Liquid-phase proportion control technology has been developed for magnesian fluxed pellets, and a blast furnace smelting demonstration project has been established to use a high proportion of fluxed pellets (80%) for the first time in China to realize source emission reduction of SO₂ and NO_x. Based on the characteristics of high NO_x concentrations and the coexistence of multiple pollutants in coke oven flue gas, low-NO_x combustion coupled with multi-pollutant cooperative control technology with activated carbon was developed to achieve efficient removal of multiple pollutants and resource utilization of sulfur. Based on the characteristics of co-existing multiple pollutants in pellet flue gas, selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) coupled with ozone oxidation and spray drying adsorption (SDA) was developed, which significantly reduces the operating cost of the system. In the light of the high humidity and high alkalinity in flue gas, filter materials with high humidity resistance and corrosion resistance were manufactured, and an integrated pre-charged bag dust collector device was developed, which realized ultra-low emission of fine particles and reduced filtration resistance and energy consumption in the system. Through source emission reduction, process control and end-treatment technologies, five demonstration projects were built, providing a full set of technical solutions for ultra-low emissions of dust, SO₂, NO_x, SO₃, mercury and other pollutants, and offering technical support for the green development of the iron and steel industry.     

基于工序工艺的精细化工业源排放清单编制及应用研究

以天津市津南区为例,采用自下而上的方式基于工序工艺建立了2017年精细化工业源排放清单,并深入探讨其对于工业源管理治理的实践应用意义.结果表明,津南区全年排放SO₂ 1778.50 t、NO_x 3972.40 t、PM 2331.35 t、VOCs 933.49 t.津南区涉气工业企业入园率为68.55%,园区内企业SO₂、NO_x、PM、VOCs排放总量分别占到全区的92.77%、80.70%、89.34%、72.06%,可极大便利推行网格化等管理模式,提高工业源管理治理效率.本研究基于精细化源排放清单中污染物工序工艺及末端治理特征,参考国家、地方环境保护相关标准,设计NO_x、PM、VOCs减排情景,保守计算NO_x、PM、VOCs可在现有基础上分别减排约10.32%、19.88%、18.74%.本研究探索了基于工序工艺建立精细化源排放清单的意义、可行性以及存在的问题,可以为大、中尺度排放清单的建立提供有益的参考.     

Technology development and cost analysis of multiple pollutant abatement for ultra-low emission coal-fired power plants in China

The implementation of ultra-low emission (ULE) limits (SO₂: 35 mg/m³, NOx: 50 mg/m³, PM: 10 mg/m³) promoted the development of flue gas treatment technologies in China. Pollutant control technology development for Chinese coal-fired power plants was summarized and an analysis of the applicability and cost of pollutant control technologies was conducted. Detailed data were collected from 30 ultra-low emission coal-fired units across China. Based on a cost analysis model, the average unit power generation incremental costs were 0.0144 and 0.0095 CNY/(kW·hr) for SO₂ and NOx control technologies, respectively. The unit power generation incremental cost of twin spray tower technology was 7.2% higher than that of dual-loop spray tower technology. The effect of key parameters on operating cost was analyzed. The unit power generation incremental cost increased because of increments in the electricity price for SO₂ control technology and the price of the reductant in NOx control technology. With high sulfur content or NOx concentration, the unit power generation incremental cost caused by pollutant control increased, whereas the unit pollutant abatement cost decreased. However, the annual operating hours or load increased, thereby leading to a decline in unit power generation incremental cost and unit pollutant abatement cost.     

车载激光雷达对北京地区边界层污染监测研究

介绍了自行研制的车载差分激光雷达AML-2探测原理及技术参数,于2006-08、2006-09在不同天气因素条件下对北京西南郊榆垡地区大气边界层污染物O3、NO2、SO2进行了实时监测,对比分析了3种污染物浓度垂直分布及日变化特征.结果表明,无外来污染输送时,3种污染物在阴雨天气总体浓度较小,O3和NO2浓度随高度升高而减小,SO2浓度垂直分布少见此特征,但在近地面0.6 km左右有较强SO2污染层.南部气流输送对北京地区大气环境影响明显,2006-08-23～2006-08-25这次强污染气流输送高度约1～1.5 km,3种污染物浓度垂直分布及日变化特征受到干扰,北京榆垡地区边界层O3、NO2、SO2总体浓度明显上升.     

基于边际治理成本的环境保护税税率标准探究与政策建议

税负水平是税收调节作用的重要因素,各地区需要科学地制定符合本地区发展水平的环境保护税税率来平衡环境保护与经济发展.基于2016年东北某省14个市的钢铁、电力、化工、水泥行业的排污及治理成本数据,建立污染削减费用函数模型,计算该省大气、水中主要污染物的边际治理成本,并设置不同环境保护税税率的情景方案,以探究环境保护税税率对该省经济发展的影响.结果表明:①SO₂、NO_x、COD、NH₃-N的边际治理成本分别为3.44、5.03、3.81、8.15元/污染当量. ②重点行业主要污染物的边际治理成本不同,钢铁行业主要污染物的边际治理成本较高,其COD、NH₃-N的边际治理成本均高于总体边际治理成本;化工行业的COD边际治理成本高于总体边际治理成本;电力行业的大气主要污染物边际治理成本高于总体边际治理成本;水泥行业的大气主要污染物边际治理成本则相对较低. ③适当提高环境保护税税率对经济发展总体影响不大.研究显示:该省的边际治理成本远高于目前的环境保护税征收标准,若以边际治理成本作为环境保护税税率,不但会增加企业负担,而且会导致不同行业的边际治理成本相差较大,因此,建议提高该省的环境保护税税率标准,即大气污染物征收标准为2.4元/污染当量,水污染物征收标准为2.8元/污染当量,并设置环境保护税税率的行业差异化,将有利于政策功能的发挥.      

Photochemical properties and source of pollutants during continuous pollution episodes in Beijing, October, 2011

Beijing sufered from serious air pollution in October, 2011 with the occurrence of three continuous episodes. Here we analyze the pollution status of particulate matter, the relationship between the gaseous pollutants, physical and chemical properties of single particles, and the profile of watersoluble ions in PM2.5during the three episodes. Regional and photochemically aged air masses, which were characterized as having high values of O3and SO2, were hypothesized to have played a dominant role in the first episode. After mixing local air masses with freshly-emitted primary pollutants, the concentration of NOx continued to increase and the size of SO4 2, NO3 and NH4 +in the particle population continued to become smaller. The amount of elemental carbon-rich and organic carbonrich particles in the scaled single particles(0.2–2 μm) and water-soluble K+in PM2.5also increased in the episodes. All the available information suggests that the biomass or fuel burning sources in or around Beijing may have had a huge impact on the last two episodes.     

Transported acid aerosols measured in southern Ontario

During the period 29 June 1986–9 August 1986, a field health study assessing the acute health effects of air pollutants on children was conducted at a summer girls' camp on the northern shore of Lake Erie in SW Ontario. Continuous air pollution measurements of SO₂, O₃, NO_x, particulate sulfates, light scattering, and meteorological measurements including temperature, dew point, and wind speed and direction were made. Twelve-hour integrated samples of size fractioned particles were also obtained using dichotomous samplers and Harvard impactors equipped with an ammonia denuder for subsequent hydrogen ion determination. Particulate samples were analyzed for trace elements by X-ray fluorescence and Neutron Activation, and for organic and elemental carbon by a thermal/optical technique. The measured aerosol was periodically very acidic with observed 12-h averaged H⁺ concentrations in the range < 10–560 nmoles m⁻³. The aerosol H⁺ appeared to represent the net strong acidity after H₂SO₄ reaction with NH₃(g). Average daytime concentrations were higher than night-time for aerosol H⁺, sulfate, fine mass and ozone. Prolonged episodes of atmospheric acidity, sulfate, and ozone were associated with air masses arriving at the measurement site from the west and from the southwest over Lake Erie. Sulfate concentrations measured at the lakeshore camp were more than twice those measured at inland sites during extreme pollution episodes. The concentration gradient observed with onshore flow was potentially due to enhanced deposition near the lakeshore caused by discontinuities in the meteorological fields in this region.     

Effect of dry deposition of NOx and SO2 gaseous pollutants on the degradation of calcareous building stones

A laboratory-based atmospheric flow chamber, using realistic presentation rates of SO₂, NO and NO₂ pollutants directed to various dry and wetted surfaces, has been employed to quantify the effects of the individual pollutants and the role of ozone as an oxidant. For the individual pollutant gases reacting with stone surfaces coming to equilibrium with 84% relative humidity (r.h.), chemical reaction in the presence of a moisture film proceeds and the extent of this reaction is related to pollutant gas solubility in the moisture film, i.e. SO₂ > NO₂ > NO. After dissolution in the moisture film, the pollutant gases are oxidized in the presence of catalysts associated with the stones. The additional presence of ozone promotes oxidation of the pollutant gases and thus their reaction with the stones. For SO₂ pollutant, oxidation in the gas phase is not significant compared with that in the moisture film, with enhanced oxidation in the presence of catalysts. Ozone increases oxidation of NO and NO₂ pollutant gases in the gas phase and moisture film; however, the oxidation of SO₂ in the moisture film is more significant than that of NO or NO₂. Wetting of the stone surfaces, in the absence of ozone, reveals the consistently greatest chemical reaction with SO₂ compared with NO and NO₂, which is related to SO₂ solubility, oxidation in the presence of catalysts and production of sulphuric acid. Generally similar behaviour is evident of NO and NO₂, but NO shows a reduced extent of chemical reaction, implying that its oxidation in surface water, in the presence of catalytic species, is slow and hence the reactants are lost in the form of run-off. In the additional presence of ozone, the SO₂ pollutant gas gives rise to enhanced chemical reaction, whereas both NO and NO₂ show lower extents of chemical reaction than for the dry stones. This arises from the relatively slow conversion of N₂O₅ in the liquid phase to nitric acid, allowing loss of reactants in run-off.     

南京北郊O3、NO2和SO2浓度变化及长/近距离输送的影响

利用2008年1月—2010年12月南京北郊O₃、NO₂和SO₂质量浓度连续观测资料结合后向轨迹模式,采用聚类分析对轨迹进行分类和KZ滤波器对数据组分进行分离的方法,讨论了南京北郊气体污染物(O₃、NO₂和SO₂)的质量浓度变化规律及长/近距离输送对该地区污染气体的影响.结果表明,南京北郊春末夏初(5、6月)O₃月均浓度出现最大值,12月出现最小值;NO₂在春季(3—5月)月平均浓度相对较高,8月份浓度全年最低,而SO₂浓度在6、7月出现最低值.不同季节气体污染物浓度日变化各有特点,O₃呈单峰分布,12:00—15:00出现浓度最大值;NO₂浓度高值则出现在夜间;SO₂在清晨出现最大值,另外,春秋冬季SO₂呈双峰型分布.长/近距离输送对南京北郊污染气体影响的分析表明,在西南方向的近距离输送影响下,该地区O₃浓度将会出现明显的高值;传输速度较慢的西北气流则会促使该地区形成高浓度的NO₂;长距离输送对O₃和NO₂的贡献与气团输送距离有关,说明该地区O₃和NO₂是区域性问题.另外,当在传输速度较慢的偏东气流的控制下,SO₂的浓度较高,说明SO₂的高浓度事件与偏东方向的近距离输送有关.