Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Long-Term Spatial And Temporal Assessment Of Criteria Air Pollutants Concentration Trends In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Region Of Texas, Usa, Md Salahuddin Majumder

Theses and Dissertations

Air pollution is a substantial environmental challenge all over the world. This study investigated the long-term air pollution levels in the Lower Rio Grande Valley region, by utilizing data collected from five continuous ambient monitoring stations in two counties over 23 years, from January 2000 to December 2022, to analyze daily, monthly, and seasonal variations of different pollutants, including ground-level ozone, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide. This study also identified distinct daily and seasonal patterns for O3, PM2.5, PM10, and CO at each monitoring site, influenced by factors such as traffic emissions, temperature, solar radiation, indoor heating, and weather conditions. …

Changes Of Air Pollutants In Urban Cities During The Covid-19 Lockdown-Sri Lanka, Buddhi Pushpawela, Sherly Shelton, Gayathri Liyanage, Sanduni Jayasekara, Dimuthu Rajapaksha, Akila Jayasundara, Lesty Das Jayasuriya

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, Sri Lanka underwent a nationwide lockdown that limited motor vehicle movement, industrial operations, and human activities. This study analyzes the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and particulate matter (PM₁₀, PM_2.5) concentrations in two urban cities (Colombo and Kandy) in Sri Lanka, by comparison of data from the lockdown period (March to May 2020) with its analogous period of 2019 and 2021. The results showed that the percentage change of daytime …

Air Pollutant Levels And Asthma Emergency Room Visits In A Highly Populous Us Urban County During 2018-19, Osaremhen Ikhile, Jingjing Yin, Atin Adhikari

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Objective: Air pollutants are linked to asthma exacerbation. The study purpose was to demonstrate an association between air pollutants levels and asthma emergency room (ER) visit trends in a highly populated US urban county in Georgia during 2018-2019.

Methods: Time series analyses were conducted for the variations in daily numbers of children and adult asthma emergency room visits and changes in daily mean PM_2.5, daily mean PM₁₀ concentrations, daily max 1-hour SO₂ concentrations, daily max 1-hour NO₂ concentrations, daily max 8-hour ozone concentrations, and airborne pollen loads for 2018 to 2019 and potential trends were …

Unsteady State Diffusion Of Pollutants During Cargo Compartment Fire, Yang Dong, Liu Zhen, Shibin Yang, Xiaozhe Sun

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The transport of the pollutant gas and smoke in aircraft cargo compartment is investigated numerically on the occurrence of fire disaster. The analysis model based on the volume fire source is established. The 3D unsteady Navier-Stokes equations and transport equations are solved using finite-volume method. The distribution of the temperature is achieved and the unsteady transport principle of pollutant gases and the smoke is analyzed. Numerical results match well with the experiments results, which verifies the correctness of the numerical method. Results show that the ceiling spray behavior is observed when the thermal air is driven by the buoyancy …

Wpływ Instalacji Termicznego Przekształcania Odpadów Komunalnych Na Jakość Powietrza, Robert Oleniacz

Robert Oleniacz

At the turn of 2015/2016 it is planned to launch in Poland a few new municipal solid waste incineration plants. This type activities causes usually concerns of the local community due to their potential negative impact on air quality. Are these fears are, however, justified? The article describes allowable air emissions for new waste incinerators, the actual emissions that occur from such installations, and the current state of knowledge about their impact on air pollution.English title: The impact of installations of municipal solid waste thermal treatment on air quality.

Studying Air Pollutants Origin And Associated Meteorological Parameters Over Seoul From 2000 To 2009, Sunmin Park, Hesham El-Askary, Ismail Sabbah, Hanbin Kwak, Anup K. Prasad, Woo-Kyun Lee, Menas Kafatos

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

We investigate the temporal characteristics of major air pollutants collected from 44 air quality stations over the city of Seoul, Korea, namely, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, particular matter at 10 microns, and sulfur dioxide (SO2) between 2000 and 2009. The corresponding satellite datasets, namely, aerosol optical depth (AOD_sat), Ångström exponent, and fine mode fraction, collected from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) as well as the Aeronet ground aerosol optical depth (AOD_aeronet), have been analyzed. Pollutants’ seasonal effect has been inferred from the precipitation and temperature. The four pollutants under study show varying temporal characteristics with different …

Impact Of The Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Plant In Warsaw On Air Quality, Robert Oleniacz

Robert Oleniacz

The only Polish municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerator has been operating within the Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Plant in Warsaw since 2000. In the paper selected results of the air quality impact assessment for this incinerator during an operating period of one year (2008) are presented. With respect to the incinerated waste amounts and emission levels, the analysed period can be considered typical for this facility. Assessment of the air quality impact was carried out by assessing air pollutant emissions in reference to the applicable emission limit values and by modeling atmospheric dispersion of these pollutants. It has been found …

Ocena Wpływu Na Jakość Powietrza Procesu Przygotowania Obszaru Wiertni Przy Poszukiwaniach Gazu Z Łupków, Marek Bogacki, Robert Oleniacz, Monika Janicka

Robert Oleniacz

This chapter presents the model calculation results of the level of concentration of air pollutants emitted during works related to the preparation of the drilling pad for the shale gas exploration. The most significant emission sources located in the drilling pad, including rig access roads, paved and unpaved, were analyzed. The emission field was defined by the parameterization of various sources/processes, taking into account the technical, technological, organizational and environmental conditions. The calculations of the pollutants dispersion in the air were carried out using the Gaussian reference model. The results of numerical calculations showed that the only substance likely to …

Meteorologiczne Determinanty Jakości Powietrza W Krakowie, Robert Oleniacz, Marek Bogacki, Mateusz Rzeszutek, Agata Kot

Robert Oleniacz

Air quality in the Agglomeration of Krakow is determined by many factors, which include, among others, unfavorable location and the resulting meteorological conditions unfavorable for self-cleaning of ambient air. The paper presents a few examples illustrating the impact of selected meteorological factors on some pollutant concentrations in the air in Krakow. Among these, special attention was paid to the ambient air temperature (indirectly influencing the level of air emissions from the municipal sector in the winter season) as well as the wind speed and the mixing layer height. On the basis performed analyzes were to draw conclusions on meteorological restrictions …

Ocena Efektów Termomodernizacji Budynków Jednorodzinnych. 1. Zmniejszenie Zużycia Ciepła I Emisji Zanieczyszczeń Do Powietrza, Robert Oleniacz, Magdalena Kasietczuk, Mateusz Rzeszutek

Robert Oleniacz

One of the measures allowing to reduce the emissions of pollutants into the air from the housing sector is decrease in the energy demand, which can be most easily achieved by thermal renovations. This paper analyses some possible variants of thermomodernization of a residential building typical for single-family housing construction of the 1970s and 1980s in Poland (replacement of window frames, insulation of external walls, flat roof insulation and all of the above-mentioned measures together with heating system replacement). Each of the considered variants was assessed in respect to the heat demand and emission of basic pollutants into the air. …

Ocena Efektów Termomodernizacji Budynków Jednorodzinnych. 2. Ograniczenie Wpływu Na Jakość Powietrza Atmosferycznego, Robert Oleniacz, Magdalena Kasietczuk, Mateusz Rzeszutek

Robert Oleniacz

The article assesses to what extent reduced the impact on air quality of a complex of detached coal-fired houses as a result of some thermal renovation works which lowered the fuel consumption and reduced emissions of pollutants into the air. The assessment was done on the basis of results of dispersion modelling for selected substances (SO2, NO2, CO, PM10, B(a)P and PCDD/F) in the ambient air with the use of CALMET/CALPUFF models. The calculation process encompassed preparation of the data on spatial features of the area, making a three-dimensional grid of meteorological data, definition of geometrical parameters of substitute emitters …

Slides: Public Health Research On Near O&G Development: Challenges And Needs, John L. Adgate

Water and Air Quality Issues in Oil and Gas Development: The Evolving Framework of Regulation and Management (Martz Summer Conference, June 5-6)

Presenter: John L. Adgate, PhD, MSPH, Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Colorado

19 slides

Slides: Exploring New Frameworks Of Regulation: Negotiating Model Regulations, Mark K. Boling

Water and Air Quality Issues in Oil and Gas Development: The Evolving Framework of Regulation and Management (Martz Summer Conference, June 5-6)

Presenter: Mark K. Boling, President, Southwestern Energy

13 slides

Niekontrolowane Spalanie Odpadów I Pozostałości Roślinnych Na Terenach Wiejskich – Przykład Inwentaryzacji Źródeł Emisji I Oceny Wpływu Na Jakość Powietrza, Robert Oleniacz, Barbara Bacik, Marcelina Spiszak

Robert Oleniacz

The most troublesome air pollutant emissions that occur in rural areas are associated with the operation of domestic furnaces (mainly during the heating season) and the processes of open burning of plant residues (mainly outside the heating season). The paper presents an example of emission inventory for this type of sources in two submontane villages of Małopolska Voivodeship (Poland) based on the results of the questionnaire survey and an attempt to assess the impact on air quality of these sources, including the potential uncontrolled burning of waste.The conducted questionnaire survey showed the use to home heating mainly solid fuels (first …

Assessment Of The Impact Of Municipal Waste Incineration Plants On Air Quality And The Possibilities Of Its Reduction, Robert Oleniacz

Robert Oleniacz

The planned construction of new municipal waste incineration plants over the next few years in Poland results in protests of local communities, which arise mainly from fear of an increase in the air pollution in its vicinity. These protests extend the investment process and hinder the selection of incineration plant location, but on the other hand they necessitate the use of more efficient solutions to reduce their impact on the air quality.This paper characterizes the world's most widely used technology for municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) and assesses the possible maximum impact on the air quality of an exemplary MSWI …

Przykładowa Ocena Wpływu Termomodernizacji Budynków Jednorodzinnych Na Zmianę Ich Oddziaływania Na Jakość Powietrza Atmosferycznego, Robert Oleniacz, Magdalena Kasietczuk, Mateusz Rzeszutek

Robert Oleniacz

The paper presents the results of calculations of pollutant emissions to air from the sample of single-family residential buildings (coal-fired) before and after thermal modernization, as well as an assessment of the impact on air quality of the emissions. The analyzes were included the heat consumption for heating, ventilation and domestic hot water preparation. The assessment of the impact on air quality was carried out for an settlement consisting of 60 such buildings using techniques of modeling of the air pollutant dispersion (CALMET/CALPUFF model).English title: The example of assessment of ambient air pollution changes resulting from the thermomodernization of single-family …

Zawartość Węgla I Siarki W Pyle Pm2,5 I Pm10 W Powietrzu W Centrum Krakowa, Monika Dziugieł, Marek Bogacki, Robert Oleniacz, Marian Mazur

Robert Oleniacz

This paper presents the results of the PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentration measurements in an urban air and results obtained from the additional chemical analysis concerning carbon and sulfur content of the collected dust samples. Dust samples were collected at the measuring point located on the roof of five-storey building at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Poland (the center of the urban area of the city). In the scope of this study the relations between the carbon and sulfur content within the collected dust samples were determined in the function of the dust fraction content and …

Slides: Hydrofracking: Air Issues And Community Exposure, Debra A. Kaden

Air Quality Impacts from Oil and Gas Development (January 27)

Presenter: Debra Kaden, Ph.D., Toxicologist, ENVIRON International Corporation, discusses air concentrations of chemicals of potential health concern surrounding oil and gas development activities, as well as temporal and spatial patterns of these chemicals in the ambient environment. Such information is necessary to evaluate possible health impacts of the drilling process on air in surrounding communities.

19 slides

Co-Incineration Of Large Quantities Of Alternative Fuels In A Cement Kiln – The Problem Of Air Pollutant Emissions, Robert Oleniacz, Magdalena Kasietczuk

Robert Oleniacz

Over the last few years, a significant increase in the use of alternative fuels in the Polish cement industry has been observed. These are mainly waste and waste-derived fuels. The national leader in this field is Chełm cement plant (Poland), with the share of alternative fuels in the cement kiln heat balance reaching in 2012 the level of 78.5%. In this paper, an analysis of the emission rate of air pollutants from cement clinkering process in the above-mentioned cement plant in the years 1998–2012 was carried out, using the results of continuous and periodic measurements. The compliance with the emission …

Air Pollution Emissions During Baking Of Semi-Finished Graphite Products In A Tunnel Furnace, Marek Bogacki, Robert Oleniacz, Marian Mazur

Robert Oleniacz

The baking of semi-finished graphite products in a tunnel furnace is the source of many air pollutants present in both the gaseous and solid phases. The goal of this study was to assess emission rates into the air of the substances such as: CO, NOx, SO2, H2S, CH4, aliphatic hydrocarbons up to C6, benzene and its homologues (BTEX), total dust and tar substances, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contained in the dust. The research showed a small time-dependence of the emission rates for the majority of the substances analysed, which is, to a large extent, a result of the long …

Wpływ Procesu Współspalania Odpadów W Piecu Cementowym Na Jakość Powietrza / Impact Of Waste Co-Incineration Process In A Cement Kiln On Air Quality, Robert Oleniacz, Magdalena Kasietczuk

Robert Oleniacz

The work presents the general requirements for the control of emissions to air from waste co-combustion (co-incineration) plants, with particular emphasis on rotary kilns used for clinker production. Air emissions from the cement kiln during co-combustion of alternative fuels and the impact assessment on air quality are also presented. The object of the study was one of the Polish cement plant, which uses significant amounts of solid waste derived fuels (with over 70% share in the cement kiln heat balance). Assessment of the impact on air quality was made based on the results of the modeling of atmospheric dispersion of …

Współspalanie Odpadów W Suchym Piecu Cementowym A Emisja Dwutlenku Siarki I Chlorowodoru, Robert Oleniacz

Robert Oleniacz

The paper presents an assessment of the impact of waste co-combustion in a cement kiln on air emissions of HCl and SO2 recorded continuously. The subject of the research was cement kiln (dry method) with a capacity of 8500 Mg/day, equipped with a four cyclone heat exchangers and a calciner with an additional chamber for co-incineration. In the analysed period alternative fuels (mainly waste) were used in various amounts ranging up to about 35 kg / Mg clinker (with the heat substitution up to 20%) in the kiln and calciner. Chlorine and sulfur inputs to the process were up to …

Assessment Of The Impact Of Using Alternative Fuels In A Cement Kiln On The Emissions Of Selected Substances Into The Air, Robert Oleniacz

Robert Oleniacz

The chapter presents the results of analyses concerning the impact of using alternative fuels in one of the Polish cement plants on the volume of continuously measured emissions into the air for the following substances: carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen chloride (HCl), gaseous and volatile organic compounds expressed as total organic carbon (TOC), and total dust. The analyses covered a 15-month period of the operation of a dry cement kiln, approximately 100m-long, equipped with four-stage cyclone exchangers and a calciner, constituting an additional chamber for waste co-combustion. The results obtained confirmed the …

Emisja Zanieczyszczeń Pyłowo-Gazowych Z Procesu Wypalania Półproduktów Grafitowych W Piecu Tunelowym, Marek Bogacki, Robert Oleniacz, Marian Mazur, Przemysław Szczygłowski

Robert Oleniacz

The baking of semi-finished graphite products in a tunnel furnace is the source of many air pollutants present in both the gaseous and solid phases. The goal of this study was to assess emission rates into the air of the substances such as: CO, NOx, SO2, H2S, CH4, aliphatic hydrocarbons up to C6, benzene and its homologues (BTEX), total dust and tar substances, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contained in the dust. The research showed a small time-dependence of the emission rates for the majority of the substances analysed, which is, to a large extent, a result of the long …

Impact Of A Large Medical Waste Incinerator On Air Quality, Robert Oleniacz

Robert Oleniacz

In the paper, an assessment of the compliance with air emission limit values and the impact on air quality of one of the largest medical waste incinerators in Poland, with a total capacity of about 300 kg/h (two incineration lines) is presented. The assessment took the results of continuous and periodic measurements of emissions in the plant’s installation over a period of 12 months’ operation into account. For this period, a calculation was performed for the spread of air pollutants emitted by the two operating incineration lines. According to the analysis and calculations, the analysed medical waste incineration plant does …

Anthropogenic Osmium In Rain And Snow Reveals Global-Scale Atmospheric Contamination, Cynthia Chen, Peter N. Sedwick, Mukul Sharma

Dartmouth Scholarship

Osmium is one of the rarer elements in seawater, with typical concentration of approximately 10 x 10(-15) g g(-1) (5.3 x 10(-14) mol kg(-1)). The osmium isotope composition ((187)Os/(188)Os ratio) of deep oceans is 1.05, reflecting a balance between inputs from continental crust (approximately 1.3) and mantle/cosmic dust (approximately 0.13). Here, we show that the (187)Os/(188)Os ratios measured in rain and snow collected around the world range from 0.16 to 0.48, much lower than expected (>1), but similar to the isotope composition of ores (approximately 0.2) that are processed to extract platinum and other metals to be used primarily …

Suchy System Oczyszczania Spalin Ze Spalania Odpadów Niebezpiecznych – Ocena Skuteczności Usuwania Substancji Gazowych I Możliwości Spełniania Standardów Emisyjnych, Robert Oleniacz

Robert Oleniacz

The research object was a medical waste incineration plant with a flue-gas treatment system based on dry sorption agent injection to combustion gases before a high-efficiency particulate collector. A combustion system was consisted with the fluidized bed reactor (starved air gasifier) and the secondary combustion chamber. As the dry absorbent was used a mixture of high reactive hydrated lime and activated carbon. Activated carbon content in the mixture was 5-10 % by mass. The absorbent was injected in the minimal recommended amount (4-5 kg/h). Applied collector was a ceramic filter with total filtration area of 120 m2 and guaranteed outlet …

Ocena Wpływu Arcelormittal Poland S.A. Oddział W Krakowie Na Jakość Powietrza, Marian Mazur, Robert Oleniacz, Marek Bogacki, Przemysław Szczygłowski

Robert Oleniacz

The work presents selected results of atmospheric dispersion modeling and air quality impact assessment for pollutant emissions from installations of ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. Unit in Krakow (Poland). The assessment was carried out for the most unfavourable emission variant probable to take place in the period 2007-2016. In the calculations were taken into consideration typical for steelworks particle matter pollutants (total dust, heavy metals, tar substances and PAHs including benzo-a-piren) and gaseous substances (SO2, NO2, CO, HC, HCl, HF, NH3, HCN, H2S, CS2, H2SO4, BTX, phenol and pyridine). As the result of estimations, carried out according to the Polish reference method …

Ocena Wielkości Emisji Do Powietrza Z Arcelormittal Poland S.A. Oddział W Krakowie W Odniesieniu Do Standardów Unii Europejskiej, Marian Mazur, Marek Bogacki, Robert Oleniacz

Robert Oleniacz

The work presents emission factors of main air pollutants for installations of ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. Unit in Krakow (Poland) in comparison with analogous characteristic emissions for iron and steel industry in West Europe. In the comparison four installations (to coke, sinter, pig iron and steel production) were taken into consideration. The emission rates from ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. Unit in Krakow were estimated on the basis of the emission levels and production data from 2004, when took place the most significant production of liquid steel during last several years. As a result of the analysis, most the emission factors (with the …

Air Pollutant Emissions From Process Of Mixing Materials Used For Manufacturing Small Products From Carbon And Graphite, Marian Mazur, Marek Bogacki, Robert Oleniacz, Przemysław Szczygłowski

Robert Oleniacz

The paper characterises the method of preparing the HCC and Rubba-type materials used to manufacture small carbon and graphite products, and the composition of waste gases escaping from the mixers for these materials. For the process of mixing the two materials under examination, two measurement series were completed, mainly covering the period from when the binder was added to the properly pre-heated dry mass until the mixer discharged. The results shown apply only to those substances which occur just in the gaseous phase, that is CO, CO2, O2, H2, aliphatic hydrocarbons (C1-C6) and BTX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) as …