3
This process is especially important for countries in transition, where processes
in industry and urbanization have a growing impact on environmental degradation.
Monitoring of emissions of pollutants into the air needs to be in accordance with the
legal acts in the country as well as in accordance with international agreements and
conventions.
The biggest contributors to the release of basic pollutants (SO 2 , NOx, CO, and
TSP) are the following sectors:
• Combustion plants for fuel transformation at electricity generation.
• Combustion of fuels for non-industrial purposes-production of heat-heating
stations.
• Combustion processes in industry for the purpose of producing heat to run the
process.
• Production processes: this sector includes emissions from various production
processes, such as the oil industry, production of steel, iron, non-ferrous metals,
cement, etc.
• Production and distribution of fossil fuels and geothermal energy.
• Use of solvents and other products.
• Passenger traffic in which the emissions during the combustion of fuels in the
means of transport are given.
• Emissions from fuel combustion in railways, air traffic, agricultural machinery,
etc.
• Emissions from waste and waste disposal, incineration of waste in open landfills,
and acceleration or other processing of waste.
• Agriculture, emissions from fertilizer application, fermentation, and use of
pesticides.
• Emission from other sources, which may include emissions that are not a consequence of human life, CO 2 emissions, etc.
To monitor the air condition, it is necessary to perform monitoring of pollutants
and the same to identify qualitatively and quantitatively. Monitoring has an essential
task within the environmental management. Namely, it is a basis for undertaking
measures for protection against pollution and a means used to improve air quality in
the environment. Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) is formed during the combustion of sulfurcontaining fuels, such as coal or oil. Certain mineral ores also contain sulfur, and
sulfur dioxide is released during their processing. Significant sources of SO 2 are
power plants, the oil refinery, and the metallurgical industry. The sulfur content of
the fuels used is high and causes occasional high concentrations of SO 2 in the ambient air in cities and industrial zones. Traffic fuels are also high in sulfur and degrade
air quality.
Research studies have shown that more nitrogen oxides are present in the air, but
the most important are nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen monoxide. These pollutants
are usually the result of natural sources. However, in urban areas, they mostly come
from traffic and industry. Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) is a gas that is formed in the process of combustion at high temperatures. Old and irregularly maintained cars produce the highest concentrations of this pollutant (Andreae and Merlet 2001).
1 General Aspects of Environmental Degradation vs. Technological Development…
This process is especially important for countries in transition, where processes
in industry and urbanization have a growing impact on environmental degradation.
Monitoring of emissions of pollutants into the air needs to be in accordance with the
legal acts in the country as well as in accordance with international agreements and
conventions.
The biggest contributors to the release of basic pollutants (SO 2 , NOx, CO, and
TSP) are the following sectors:
• Combustion plants for fuel transformation at electricity generation.
• Combustion of fuels for non-industrial purposes-production of heat-heating
stations.
• Combustion processes in industry for the purpose of producing heat to run the
process.
• Production processes: this sector includes emissions from various production
processes, such as the oil industry, production of steel, iron, non-ferrous metals,
cement, etc.
• Production and distribution of fossil fuels and geothermal energy.
• Use of solvents and other products.
• Passenger traffic in which the emissions during the combustion of fuels in the
means of transport are given.
• Emissions from fuel combustion in railways, air traffic, agricultural machinery,
etc.
• Emissions from waste and waste disposal, incineration of waste in open landfills,
and acceleration or other processing of waste.
• Agriculture, emissions from fertilizer application, fermentation, and use of
pesticides.
• Emission from other sources, which may include emissions that are not a consequence of human life, CO 2 emissions, etc.
To monitor the air condition, it is necessary to perform monitoring of pollutants
and the same to identify qualitatively and quantitatively. Monitoring has an essential
task within the environmental management. Namely, it is a basis for undertaking
measures for protection against pollution and a means used to improve air quality in
the environment. Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) is formed during the combustion of sulfurcontaining fuels, such as coal or oil. Certain mineral ores also contain sulfur, and
sulfur dioxide is released during their processing. Significant sources of SO 2 are
power plants, the oil refinery, and the metallurgical industry. The sulfur content of
the fuels used is high and causes occasional high concentrations of SO 2 in the ambient air in cities and industrial zones. Traffic fuels are also high in sulfur and degrade
air quality.
Research studies have shown that more nitrogen oxides are present in the air, but
the most important are nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen monoxide. These pollutants
are usually the result of natural sources. However, in urban areas, they mostly come
from traffic and industry. Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) is a gas that is formed in the process of combustion at high temperatures. Old and irregularly maintained cars produce the highest concentrations of this pollutant (Andreae and Merlet 2001).
1 General Aspects of Environmental Degradation vs. Technological Development…