18
1 Wastes Generation, Characterization, Management Strategies …
Mt NH 3 , 0.11 Mt PAH, and about 0.17 Mt heavy metals (Pb. Cd and Hg). The major
air emission sources are ore and minerals industries, oil and gas industry, electric
power generation (utilities), manufacturing, transportation and mobile equipment,
agriculture, commercial/residential/institutional and incineration.
Air pollutants have a negative impact on the environment (the air, soil and water
systems), as summarized in Table 1.7 and described below.
Table 1.7 Characteristics, environment impacts and sources of major air pollutants [2, 41]
Air pollutant Characteristics
Environment impacts
Sources
SO x
• Mainly of SO 2 , formed
from the sulphur in raw
materials such as coal,
oil and
metal-containing ores
during combustion and
refining processes
• Dissolves in water
vapor in air to form
acids, and interacts
with other gases and
particles in the air to
form sulphates
• SO 2 in its
untransformed state has
negative effects on
respiratory systems of
humans/animals, and
causes damage to
vegetation
• The acid form of SO 2
can lead to acidification
of aquatic and
terrestrial ecosystems
• The sulphate particles
could contribute to the
PM 25 formation
• Ore/mineral and oil/gas
industries (60–70%)
• Electric power
generation (20–30%)
NO x
• Consist mainly of
nitrogen oxide (NO)
and nitrogen dioxide
(NO 2 )
• Formed in all types of
combustions in air via
the pathways of
thermal-NO x , fuel-NO x
and prompt-NO x
• NO 2 can dissolve in
water vapor in the air or
rain to form nitric acid
• NO x and nitric acid can
cause adverse effects
on respiratory systems
of humans and animals,
• Can cause damage to
vegetation, and
materials and can
contribute to
acidification of aquatic
and terrestrial
ecosystems
• NO 2 and VOCs can
form ground-level
ozone and PM 25
• Transportation (>50%),
• Industrial sectors
VOCs
• Are carbon-containing
gases and vapors,
excluding CO 2 . CO,
CH 4 and CFCs, that
participate in
atmospheric
photochemical
reactions]
• Have direct toxic
effects on human health
such as carcinogenesis
or neurotoxicity
• Can combine with
nitrogen oxides (NO x )
in photochemical
reactions in the
atmosphere and form
ground-level ozone (a
major component of
smog) and PM 25
• Natural resources
(92%)
• Industrial and
transportation sectors
(continued)
1 Wastes Generation, Characterization, Management Strategies …
Mt NH 3 , 0.11 Mt PAH, and about 0.17 Mt heavy metals (Pb. Cd and Hg). The major
air emission sources are ore and minerals industries, oil and gas industry, electric
power generation (utilities), manufacturing, transportation and mobile equipment,
agriculture, commercial/residential/institutional and incineration.
Air pollutants have a negative impact on the environment (the air, soil and water
systems), as summarized in Table 1.7 and described below.
Table 1.7 Characteristics, environment impacts and sources of major air pollutants [2, 41]
Air pollutant Characteristics
Environment impacts
Sources
SO x
• Mainly of SO 2 , formed
from the sulphur in raw
materials such as coal,
oil and
metal-containing ores
during combustion and
refining processes
• Dissolves in water
vapor in air to form
acids, and interacts
with other gases and
particles in the air to
form sulphates
• SO 2 in its
untransformed state has
negative effects on
respiratory systems of
humans/animals, and
causes damage to
vegetation
• The acid form of SO 2
can lead to acidification
of aquatic and
terrestrial ecosystems
• The sulphate particles
could contribute to the
PM 25 formation
• Ore/mineral and oil/gas
industries (60–70%)
• Electric power
generation (20–30%)
NO x
• Consist mainly of
nitrogen oxide (NO)
and nitrogen dioxide
(NO 2 )
• Formed in all types of
combustions in air via
the pathways of
thermal-NO x , fuel-NO x
and prompt-NO x
• NO 2 can dissolve in
water vapor in the air or
rain to form nitric acid
• NO x and nitric acid can
cause adverse effects
on respiratory systems
of humans and animals,
• Can cause damage to
vegetation, and
materials and can
contribute to
acidification of aquatic
and terrestrial
ecosystems
• NO 2 and VOCs can
form ground-level
ozone and PM 25
• Transportation (>50%),
• Industrial sectors
VOCs
• Are carbon-containing
gases and vapors,
excluding CO 2 . CO,
CH 4 and CFCs, that
participate in
atmospheric
photochemical
reactions]
• Have direct toxic
effects on human health
such as carcinogenesis
or neurotoxicity
• Can combine with
nitrogen oxides (NO x )
in photochemical
reactions in the
atmosphere and form
ground-level ozone (a
major component of
smog) and PM 25
• Natural resources
(92%)
• Industrial and
transportation sectors
(continued)