Junrui Zhou

Atmospheric emission inventory of hazardous trace elements from China's coal-fired power plants--temporal trends and spatial variation characteristics.

Coal-fired power plants are the important sources of anthropogenic atmospheric releases of various hazardous trace elements (HTE) because a large quantity of emissions can cause wide dispersion and possible long-distance transportation. To obtain the temporal trends and spatial variation characteristics of various HTE discharged from coal-fired power plants of China, a multiple-year comprehensive emission inventory of HTE including Hg, As, Se, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Sb has been established for the period 2000-2010. Thanks to the cobenefit removal effects of conventional particulate matter/sulfur dioxide/nitrogen oxides (PM/SO2/NOx) control devices, emissions of these 8 toxic elements have shown a gradual decline since the peak in 2006. The total emissions of Hg, As, Se, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Sb are substantial and are estimated at about 118.54, 335.45, 459.4, 705.45, 13.34, 505.03, 446.42, and 82.33 tons (t), respectively, in 2010. Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanxi, and Hebei always rank among the top ten provinces with the highest emissions. Further, future emissions for 2015 and 2020 are projected with scenario analysis. Advanced technologies and integrated management strategies to control HTE are in great need.

A comprehensive emission inventory of multiple air pollutants from iron and steel industry in China: Temporal trends and spatial variation characteristics

China has become the largest producer of iron and steel throughout the world since 1996. However, as an energy-and-pollution intensive manufacturing sector, a detailed comprehensive emission inventory of air pollutants for iron and steel industry of China is still not available. To obtain and better understand the temporal trends and spatial variation characteristics of typical hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) emissions from iron and steel production in China, a comprehensive emission inventory of multiple air pollutants, including size segregated particulate matter (TSP/PM10/PM2.5), gaseous pollutants (SO2, NOx, CO), heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Cr, Ni etc.), as well as the more dangerous PCDD/Fs, is established with the unit-based annual activity, specific dynamic emission factors for the historical period of 1978-2011, and the future potential trends till to 2050 are forecasted by using scenario analysis. Our results show that emissions of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter have experienced a gradual increase tendency since 2000, while emissions of priority-controlled heavy metals (Hg, Pb, As, Cd, Cr, and Ni) have exhibited a short-term fluctuation during the period of 1990 to 2005. With regard to the spatial distribution of HAPs emissions in base year 2011, Bohai economic circle is identified as the top emission intensity region where iron and steel smelting plants are densely built; within iron and steel industry, blast furnaces contribute the majority of PM emissions, sinter plants account for most of gaseous pollutants and the majority of PCDD/Fs, whereas steel making processes are responsible for the majority of heavy metal emissions. Moreover, comparisons of future emission trends under three scenarios indicate that advanced technologies and integrated whole process management strategies are in great need to further diminish various hazardous air pollutants from iron and steel industry in the future.

A Comprehensive Global Inventory of Atmospheric Antimony Emissions from Anthropogenic Activities, 1995–2010

Antimony (Sb) and its compounds are considered as global pollutants due to their health risks and long-range transport characteristics. A comprehensive global inventory of atmospheric antimony emissions from anthropogenic activities during the period of 1995-2010 has been developed with specific estimation methods based on the relevant data available for different continents and countries. Our results indicate that the global antimony emissions have increased to a peak at about 2232 t (t) in 2005 and then declined gradually. Global antimony emissions in 2010 are estimated at about 1904 t (uncertainty of a 95% confidence interval (CI): -30% ∼ 67%), with fuel combustion as the major source category. Asia and Europe account for about 57% and 24%, respectively, of the global total emissions, and China, the United States, and Japan rank as the top three emitting countries. Furthermore, global antimony emissions are distributed into gridded cells with a resolution of 1° × 1°. Regions with high Sb emissions are generally concentrated in the Southeastern Asia and Western Europe, while South Africa, economically developed regions in the eastern U.S., and Mexico are also responsible for the high antimony emission intensity.