David R. Lincoln

Contribution of mobile sources to ambient particulate concentrations in a downtown urban area

In response to the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977, new State Implementation Plans are being developed for attaining primary ambient air quality standards for total suspended particulates (TSP). The significance of “nontraditional” sources to the levels of TSP is receiving considerable attention. The contribution of “nontraditional” emissions to the ambient TSP levels from the operation of motor vehicles in a downtown urban area, the City of Pittsburgh, has been assessed by a statistical analysis of carbon monoxide, coefficient of haze, and TSP levels at the monitor site. The results are interpreted in consideration of the design of control strategies.

Release and containment of microorganisms from applied genetics activities

Abstract In the normal course of manipulating microorganisms in laboratories and commercial facilities, some organisms inevitably are dispersed through aerosol formation, drips, etc. Accidents can increase this dispersal. The objective of a recent study was to assess the release of microorganisms to the environment and exposure to technicians during applied genetics protocols. Towards this end, a computer simulation model that incorporates the complex interactions of microorganism dispersal, organism characteristics, facility design, containment equipment and facility practices was developed. The model uses the concepts of mass balance and compartments. The results of the simulations suggest the effects of different levels of containment on technician exposure and environment release.

Air Pollution Emissions from Increased Industrial Coal Use in the Northeastern United States

Evaluating the air pollution impacts of energy use in the industrial sector is difficult because of the diversity and multiplicity of sources and a general lack of systematic, up-to-date data collection mechanisms. Fuel-specific energy consumption for a multi-state region is provided by the U.S. Department of Energy PIES model for a base year (1975), together with scenarios for future years. A computer model developed in this study—the Sub-regional Energy and Emissions Model (SEEM)—is applied to disaggregate the regional industrial figures to the county level according to fuel type and industrial category at the two-digit SIC level. The resulting emissions of total suspended particulates (TSP) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) for all industrial categories are estimated at the county level by Incorporating county-specific air pollution regulations in SEEM, and are then aggregated to larger geographical regions. The model has been applied to evaluate the increased air pollution impacts of industrial energy use in t...

Cross-media environmental impacts of air pollution regulations for a coal liquefaction process plant

This paper describes a modeling approach for systematically quantifying and comparing water, land and air pollutant emissions and the associated costs from liquefaction processes which use coal to produce liquid products. The COALIQ computerized model developed under this approach is utilized to gain insights about the way emissions and the ensuing economic impacts are affected by process design parameters, coal characteristics, control technology and environmental regulations.

A multimedia assessment framework for emission control strategies

The types and rates of pollutant emissions from coal-fired power plants depend on plant design, coal characteristics, and environmental control policy. A multiobjective approach to decisionmaking on pollution control standards is discussed which includes the multimedia (air, land, water) effects of the standards. A mix of objective and subjective information is utilized and is obtained by linking an environmental simulation model with a method for eliciting a multipollutant dose-response curve and a subjective assessment of the “ willingness to pay” to avoid one more unit of various impacts. This study suggests that trade-offs between direct measures of impacts, such as human health effects and control costs, can be made for regulatory standard setting.