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.     

环冷机组TSP无组织排放溯源及影响因素分析

本文以中心虚点源法为基础,通过虚设源强与误差分析相结合的方式,对某烧结厂环冷机组面源TSP（总悬浮颗粒物）无组织排放的源强进行了反推计算,得到该面源在监测期间TSP排放量范围在12300 ～ 20790mg/s,最小总误差只有9.3％.其中16 ～30μm粒径段颗粒物占的比例最大达28％.并对这种系统误差浮动产生的原因进行了分析,发现选取较大风速条件进行模拟时可以减小系统误差.同时采用spss软件对源排放量与实际工况进行了多元线性回归分析,发现环冷机的颗粒物无组织排放与其核心生产原料混匀矿相关性最大,推测该环冷机组粉尘无组织排放量大的根本原因是机组的超负荷使用.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon storage in a typical Cerrado of the Brazilian savanna

There may be important biological sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the global environment, particularly of naphthalene, phenanthrene, and perylene, that originate in the tropics. We (i) studied the distribution of PAHs among different compartments of a typical Cerrado to locate their sources and (ii) quantified the PAH storage of this ecosystem. The sum of 20 PAH (sigma20PAHs) concentrations ranged from 25 to 666 microg kg(-1) in plant tissue, 7.4 to 32 microg kg(-1) in litterfall, 206 to 287 microg kg(-1) in organic soil, and 10 to 79 microg kg(-1) in mineral soil. Among the living biomass compartments, the bark had the highest mean PAH concentrations and coarse roots the lowest, indicating that PAHs in the plants originated mainly from aboveground sources. Naphthalene and phenanthrene were the most abundant individual PAHs, together contributing 33 to 96% to the sigma20PAHs concentrations. The total storage of the X20PAHs in Cerrado was 7.5 mg m(-2) to a 0.15-m soil depth and 49 mg m(-2) to a 2-m soil depth. If extrapolated to the entire Brazilian Cerrado region, roughly estimated storages of naphthalene and phenanthrene correspond to 7300 and 400 yr of the published annual emissions in the United Kingdom, respectively. The storage of benzo[a]pyrene, a typical marker for fossil fuel combustion, in the Cerrado only corresponds to 0.19 yr of UK emissions. These results indicate that the Brazilian savanna comprises a huge reservoir of naphthalene and phenanthrene originating most likely from the aboveground parts of the vegetation or associated organisms. Thus, the Cerrado might be a globally important source of these PAHs.     

Season and bedding impacts on ammonia emissions from tie-stall dairy barns

Federal and state regulations are being promulgated under the Clean Air Act to reduce hazardous air emissions from livestock operations. Few data are available on emissions from livestock facilities in the USA and the management practices that may minimize emissions. The objective of this study was to measure seasonal and bedding impacts on ammonia emissions from tie-stall dairy barns located in central Wisconsin. Four chambers each housed four Holstein dairy heifers (approximately 17 mo of age; body weights, 427-522 kg) for three 28-d trial periods corresponding to winter, summer, and fall. A 4x4 Latin Square statistical design was used to evaluate four bedding types (manure solids, chopped newspaper, pine shavings, and chopped wheat straw) in each chamber for a 4-d ammonia monitoring period. Average ammonia-N emissions (g heifer(-1) d(-1)) during summer (20.4) and fall (21.0) were similar and twice the emissions recorded during winter (10.1). Ammonia-N emissions accounted for approximately 4 to 7% of consumed feed N, 4 to 10% of excreted N, and 9 to 20% of manure ammonical N. Cooler nighttime temperatures did not result in lower ammonia emissions than daytime temperatures. Ammonia emissions (g heifer(-1) d(-1)) from chambers that contained manure solids (20.0), newspaper (18.9), and straw (18.9) were similar and significantly greater than emissions using pine shavings (15.2). Chamber N balances, or percent difference between the inputs feed N and bedding N, and the outputs manure N, body weight N, and ammonia N were 105, 90, and 89% for the winter, summer, and fall trials, respectively. Relatively high chamber N balances and favorable comparisons of study data with published values of ammonia emissions, feed N intake, and manure N excretion provided confidence in the accuracy of the study results.     

Emissions from burning biofuels in metal cookstoves

Promoting stoves that burn wood and other biofuels more efficiently is one of the means to reduce fuel consumption, but such efficient stoves may also emit more carbon monoxide and total suspended particulates. In an earlier study, a standard chamber method was proposed to estimate emission factors from burning fuelwood (Acacia nilotica). Here that methodology is extended to measure emission factors from burning of dungcakes and crop residues (Brassica or mustard stalks)—common fuels in many developing countries. The amounts of carbon monoxide (CO) and total suspended particulates (TSP) emitted by four different models of stoves, when using each of the three biofuels, are measured.The CO emission factors range from 13–68 (g/kg) for fuelwood to 26–67 g/kg for dungcakes and 20–114 g/kg for crop residues, for particulates they range from 1.1–3.8 to 4.1–7.8 and 2.1–12.0 g/kg for the three fuels, respectively. On a per unit heat delivered basis, the emissions of CO and TSP from both dungcakes and crop residues are two to three times higher compared to those from fuelwood. While for some improved stove-fuel combinations, the increase in emission factors was offset by the increase in thermal efficiency, this was not always so and causes a dilemma. The more efficient stoves are found to have higher emission factors of both CO and TSP for all three fuels. Emissions per standard task (i.e, on a unit heat delivered basis) is proposed as a criterion to evaluate cookstoves.     

Spatial variations in selected metal contents and particle size distribution in an urban and rural atmosphere of Islamabad, Pakistan

Spatial variations in total suspended particulate matter (TSP) were investigated for distribution of metals and particle size fractions in the urban and rural atmosphere of Islamabad, Pakistan. The metals Na, K, Fe, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Ni and Co, and the particle fractions <2.5, 2.5-10, 10-100 and >100 microm were included in the study. TSP samples were trapped on glass fibre filters using high volume samplers and quantification of metals was done using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry employing HNO(3) based wet digestion. At the urban site, Na was dominant at 2.384 microg/m(3) followed by K, Fe and Zn with 0.778, 0.667 and 0.567 microg/m(3) as mean concentrations, respectively. The metal levels for the rural site ranged from 0.002 microg/m(3) for Cd to 1.077 microg/m(3) for Na. However, compared with the urban site, mean Pb concentration showed an almost two-fold enhancement, i.e., 0.163 Vs. 0.327 microg/m(3). Metals and particle size source identification was done using Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis. Five sources were traced out for the urban site: industrial, soil, automobile emissions, metallurgical industries and excavation activities. For the rural site, four sources were recorded: agricultural, automotive emissions, excavation activities and metallurgical units. Collectively, for both the sites, PM(10-100) emerged as a major contributor to TSP, followed by PM(2.5-10), PM(<2.5) and PM(>100) in that order. The metals showed in general positive relationship with fine particulate fractions (PM(2.5-10), PM(<2.5)), and negative correlation with coarse fractions (PM(10-100), PM(>100)). Comparison with the corresponding data from various Asian sites revealed that the levels of Na, K, Fe, Mn, Co and Ni for the present study were lower than those reported for grossly polluted cities of the world.     

Trace Gas Emissions from Biomass Burning from Northeast Region in India—Estimates from Satellite Remote Sensing Data and GIS

Biomass burning associated with shifting cultivation areas from the northeastern region of India is an important source of trace gas emissions in the Southeast Asian region. In the present study, satellite data pertaining to IRS-P4 OCM data and DMSP-OLS has been used to quantify the intensity, areal extent and amount of biomass burnt in the northeastern region states at district level. Trace gas emissions have been quantified both by using IPCC based emission ratios and ground based emission ratios obtained from field based studies. Areal estimates with respect to shifting cultivation areas from IRS-P4 OCM satellite data of 4th April 2000 suggested nearly 112.99 km² of the northeastern region of India affected due to shifting cultivation. In the study, DMSP OLS nighttime data has been used to capture the real time fires during the dry season. The results suggested high amount of fires during the March season when compared to April and May. Using the emission ratios obtained from the ground-based studies and IPCC emission ratios, the emissions for the individual non-CO₂ trace gases have been computed in a GIS framework using the biomass data, combustion factors and emission ratios. Results suggested emissions of 2.063 Mt CH₄, 17.94 Mt CO, 1.419 Mt N₂O, and 51.28 Mt NO _x and 2.643 Mt release of CH₄, 3.7204 Mt CO, 0.145 Mt N₂O, and 8.477 Mt NO _x , respectively, from biomass burning due to shifting cultivation for the year 2000, from the northeastern region in India. The study highlights the importance of Satellite Remote sensing data and GIS in quantifying the trace gas emissions from biomass burning.     

Forest Fires in Mediterranean Countries: CO2 Emissions and Mitigation Possibilities Through Prescribed Burning

Forest fires are an integral part of the ecology of the Mediterranean Basin; however, fire incidence has increased dramatically during the past decades and fire is expected to become more prevalent in the future due to climate change. Fuel modification by prescribed burning reduces the spread and intensity potential of subsequent wildfires. We used the most recently published data to calculate the average annual wildfire CO(2) emissions in France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain following the IPCC guidelines. The effect of prescribed burning on emissions was calculated for four scenarios of prescribed burning effectiveness based on data from Portugal. Results show that prescribed burning could have a considerable effect on the carbon balance of the land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector in Mediterranean countries. However, uncertainty in emission estimates remains large, and more accurate data is needed, especially regarding fuel load and fuel consumption in different vegetation types and fuel layers and the total area protected from wildfire per unit area treated by prescribed burning, i.e. the leverage of prescribed burning.     

Runoff and leachate losses of phosphorus in a sandy Spodosol amended with biosolids

Florida Spodosols are sandy, inherently low in Fe- and Al-based minerals, and sorb phosphorus (P) poorly. We evaluated runoff and leachate P losses from a typical Florida Spodosol amended with biosolids and triple superphosphate (TSP). Phosphorus losses were evaluated with traditional indoor rainfall simulations but used a double-deck box arrangement that allowed leaching and runoff to be determined simultaneously. Biosolids (Lakeland, OCUD, Milorganite, and Disney) represented contrasting values of total P, percent water-extractable P (PWEP), and percentage of solids. All P sources were surface applied at 224 kg P ha(-1), representing a soil P rate typical of N-based biosolids application. All biosolids-P sources lost less P than TSP, and leachate-P losses generally dominated. For Lakeland-amended soil, bioavailable P (BAP) was mainly lost by runoff (81% of total BAP losses). This behavior was due to surface sealing and drying after application of the slurry (31 g kg(-1) solids) material. For all other P sources, BAP losses in leachate were much greater than in runoff, representing 94% of total BAP losses for TSP, 80% for Milorganite, 72% for Disney, and 69% for OCUD treatments. Phosphorus leaching can be extreme and represents a great concern in many coarse-textured Florida Spodosols and other coastal plain soils with low P-sorption capacities. The PWEP values of P sources were significantly correlated with total P and BAP losses in runoff and leachate. The PWEP of a source can serve as a good indicator of potential P loss when amended to sandy soils with low P-retention capacities.     

Dependence of ammonia emissions from housing on the time cattle spent inside

Buildings housing cattle contribute 19% (42 kt NH3-N yr(-1)) of total UK ammonia (NH3) emissions. In the UK there is not usually an abrupt switch from cattle being kept inside to when they are turned out to graze 24 h a day. Moreover, during the summer dairy cows return to the farm twice a day to be milked and may spend some time inside buildings. Hence, there is uncertainty over the treatment of the transitional and summer periods when inventorying NH3 emissions. The aim of this study was to measure, under controlled and replicated conditions, the relationship between the number of hours cattle spend in buildings and the NH3 emissions from those buildings. Our results indicate that NH3 emissions decrease as the proportion of the day cattle spend in the buildings decreases, although the trend is not linear. Daily emission rates from cattle housed for 2 h ranged from 1.6 to 6.2 g NH3-N lu(-1) whereas emissions from cattle housed for 24 h ranged from 8.1 to 24.1 g NH3-N lu(-1). To significantly reduce NH3 emissions in comparison to those from buildings where cattle are housed for 24 h, the occupancy would have to be reduced to no more than 6 h each day. Thus, the strategy of extending the grazing season by allowing cattle to graze for c. 4 to 12 h during the winter is unlikely to reduce NH3 emissions from buildings or overall.     

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。     

大气降尘中多环芳烃的分布特征及源解析

为探讨大气降尘中多环芳烃的污染水平和来源的解析,于2008年冬、春、夏、秋四个季节采集了北京昌平地区大气降尘样品,采用超声抽提方法,使用GC/MS测定了样品中PAHs的含量。结果表明,冬、春、夏、秋四个季节样品中多环芳烃总量分别为18.6μg/g、17.3μg/g、15.1μg/g和11.0μg/g,单体化合物均值分别为1.04μg/g、0.96μg/g、0.84μg/g和0.61μg/g。与其他城市监测结果比较可知:昌平地区大气降尘中PAHs含量相对较低。使用多种方法对降尘中的PAHs来源进行解析,结果表明:化石燃料燃烧在不同季节中的贡献相对稳定,燃煤在冬季为多环芳烃主要来源之一,在其他季节贡献相对较低。     

基于LMDI模型的乌鲁木齐工业废气排放影响因素研究

本文运用对数平均的LMDI 分解模型,选取工业SO₂、工业烟(粉)尘排放量作为污染物指标,将2006—2013 年,乌鲁木齐工业废气排放量影响因素分解为规模效应、结构效应、技术效应,考虑到技术效应机制的复杂性,进一步将技术效应细化为污染治理效应和清洁技术效应。研究结果表明:规模效应和结构效应增加乌鲁木齐工业废气排放,其中规模效应对工业废气排放量贡献率由2007 年的119.10%增加到2013 年的263.03%,结构效应对工业废气排放量的增加也起到一定的促进作用,但影响效果远低于规模效应,年贡献率均低于10%,技术效应阻碍工业废气排放的增加,贡献率由2007 年的-19.86%增加到2013 年的-172.50%。制造业和电力、燃气及水的生产和供应业废气排放量占工业废气排放总量的70% 左右,是乌鲁木齐工业废气污染的主要行业。清洁技术效应对SO₂ 的减排起促进作用,是阻碍工业SO₂ 排放量增加的主要因素。污染治理效应是工业烟(粉)尘的减排主要因素,说明目前乌鲁木齐工业烟(粉)尘的减排依赖于排放后的治理。     

除湿机的冷凝水化学成分与空气环境质量的关系

本文采用家用除湿机作为空气水溶性物质采样器方法，并验证了该方法作为空气水溶性物质采样嚣的可行性。本文通过空气冷凝水化学成分与空气总悬浮微粒(TSP)可溶性化学成分的对比，得到水汽中大部分阴阳离子的含量只比TSP低1个数量级，而水汽中的微量元素含量与各种碳的浓度不都比TSP低，TSP中一般检测不出亚硝酸根，而水汽中则检出大量亚硝酸根。     

西宁市环境空气中TSP和PM10来源解析研究

在西宁市7个采样点分别采集了环境空气中的总悬浮颗粒物(TSP)和可吸入颗粒物(PM10),用化学质量平衡(CMB)受体模型和二重源解析技术解析了TSP和PM10的来源。结果表明:扬尘、煤烟尘和土壤风沙尘是造成该市TSP和PM10污染的主要源类。扬尘是造成该市颗粒物污染的首要因素,控制城市扬尘污染是城市环境空气颗粒物达标的关键。     

EMPIRICAL MODELING OF HYDROLOGIC AND NFS POLLUTANT FLUX IN AN URBANIZING BASIN1

ABSTRACT: Long term effects of precipitation and land use/land cover on basin outflow and nonpoint source (NFS) pollutant flux are presented for up to 24 years for a rapidly developing headwater basin and three adjacent headwater basins on the urban fringe of Washington, D.C. Regression models are developed to describe the annual and seasonal responses of basin outflow and IMPS pollutant flux to precipitation, mean impervious surface (IS), and land use. To quantify annual change in mean IS, a variable called delta IS is created as a temporal indicator of urban soil disturbance. Hydrologic models indicate that total annual surface outflow is significantly associated with precipitation and mean IS (r²= 0.65). Seasonal hydrologic models reveal that basin outflow is positively associated with IS during the summer and fall growing season (June to November). NPS pollutant flux models indicate that total and storm total suspended solids (TSS) flux are significantly associated with precipitation and urban soil disturbance in all seasons. Annual NPS total nitrogen flux is significantly associated with both urban and agricultural soil disturbance (r²= 0.51). Seasonal models of phosphorus flux indicate a significant association of total phosphorus flux with urban soil disturbance during the growing season. Total soluble phosphorus (TSP) flux is significantly associated with IS (r²= 0.34) and urban and agricultural soil disturbance (r²= 0.58). In urbanizing Cub Run basin, annual TSP concentrations are significantly associated with IS and cultivated agriculture (r²= 0.51).     

The impact of urbanization on tropical mangroves (Fortaleza,Brazil): Evidence from PAH distribution in sediments

This investigation represents the first environmental diagnosis of the distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments from a tropical mangrove in Fortaleza, northeastern Brazil. Sediment cores from six sampling stations in the Cocó and Ceará Rivers were retrieved in June-July 2006 to determine 17 priority PAHs. The total PAH concentrations (Σ_PAHs) ranged from 3.04 to 2234.76 μg kg^?1(Cocó River) and from 3.34 to 1859.21 μg kg^?1 (Ceará River). These levels are higher than those of other cities with more industrial development. PAH concentrations did not reach probable effect levels (PELs). However, from 4.5 to 87.5% of individual PAH concentrations can occasionally cause adverse biological effects for aquatic organisms. The PAH molecular ratios indicate that the PAHs in the sediment core were derived mainly from petroleum, wood, and charcoal combustion (pyrogenic source), and that atmospheric deposition and urban runoff may serve as important pathways for PAH input to the sediment. Clearly, the Σ_PAHs in sediments collected in the Cocó and Ceará Rivers indicate that ongoing pollution is more severe than past pollution.     

Sequential accelerated solvent extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with different solvents: performance and implication

Sixteen USEPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) extracted by Soxhlet extraction (S-PAHs) with dichloromethane and routine accelerated solvent extraction (A-PAHs) with 1:1 toluene/methanol, respectively, were investigated in 24 soil samples from two cities in the center of the Pearl River Delta, South China. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, methylphenanthrene and perylene, in two soils, two sediments, and an immature oil shale were also sequentially extracted by accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) with each of four different organic solvents for three times. The A-PAHs' concentrations are 2.41 times the S-PAHs' concentrations. For sequential three ASEs, PAHs in the first extract account for 56 to 67% of their total concentrations in the sequential three extractions and toluene displays the best extraction performance among the four solvents. Diagnostic ratios of PAHs in Soxhlet extraction, routine ASE, and sequential ASE with each solvent for a given sample are very similar, suggesting their identical petrogenic and pyrogenic sources in the soils and sediments. But the PAH ratios for the shale have an obvious petrogenic origin. The perylene/5-ring PAH ratios indicate a diagenetic source, especially in the shale and sediments. The correlation analysis shows that A-PAHs/S-PAHs is better associated with the contents of total organic carbon (TOC) than those of black carbon (BC). The above results indicate the significant petrogenic origin of PAHs and the important effect of organic matter on their extraction and distribution in the investigated field soils/sediments.     

The Mass and Energy Exchange of a Tibetan Glacier: Distributed Modeling and Climate Sensitivity

Most glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are not closely monitored for mass balance (MB) due to their inaccessibility, which makes it difficult to better understand the dynamics of glacial advancement or retreat. Surface energy budget, MB, and the resulting melt runoff were calculated for Zhadang glacier (5,710 m above sea level) of the central TP. Energy balance was calculated on 30‐m square grids for the summers of 2007 and 2008. On average, net radiation dominated the total energy source (66%) while the residual was supplied by sensible heat flux. More than 67% of the energy sink was available for melting on the glacier. Thus, less than 33% of the total energy was consumed by latent heat flux. A large and a slightly negative summer MB were calculated for the 2007 and 2008 summers, respectively. The high sensitivity of the glacier to air temperature may indicate that the lower than average seasonal temperature was more important than the increased precipitation for the slightly negative MB in the summer of 2008. Comparisons of glacial melt runoff indicated that rainfall and snowmelt were the dominant contribution to total runoff in the glacierized basin and the ice melting is also very important. Glacial melt calculation provides a basis for quantifying glacial melt‐runoff contribution to the river streamflow in the TP.     

Characterization of Storm Flow Dynamics of Headwater Streams in the South Carolina Lower Coastal Plain1

Epps, Thomas H., Daniel R. Hitchcock, Anand D. Jayakaran, Drake R. Loflin, Thomas M. Williams, and Devendra M. Amatya, 2012. Characterization of Storm Flow Dynamics of Headwater Streams in the South Carolina Lower Coastal Plain. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐14. DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12000 Abstract: Hydrologic monitoring was conducted in two first‐order lower coastal plain watersheds in South Carolina, United States, a region with increasing growth and land use change. Storm events over a three‐year period were analyzed for direct runoff coefficients (ROC) and the total storm response (TSR) as percent rainfall. ROC calculations utilized an empirical hydrograph separation method that partitioned total streamflow into sustained base flow and direct runoff components. ROC ratios ranged from 0 to 0.32 on the Upper Debidue Creek (UDC) watershed and 0 to 0.57 on Watershed 80 (WS80); TSR results ranged from 0 to 0.93 at UDC and 0.01 to 0.74 at WS80. Variability in event runoff generation was attributed to seasonal trends in water table elevation fluctuation as regulated by evapotranspiration. Groundwater elevation breakpoints for each watershed were identified based on antecedent water table elevation, streamflow, ROCs, and TSRs. These thresholds represent the groundwater elevation above which event runoff generation increased sharply in response to rainfall. For effective coastal land use decision making, baseline watershed hydrology must be understood to serve as a benchmark for management goals, based on both seasonal and event‐based surface and groundwater interactions.