Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
In the case of planes, fuel consumption depends on total weight, drag forces, and engines'
energy efficiency. So, improvements in fuel efficiency will depend on the use of lighter
materials and new engines that would be difficult to retrofit to existing planes. More on
transportation is presented in Chapter 13.
SUMMARY
Air pollution is the result of emission of gases and particles that are released into the atmosphere
by natural and anthropogenic sources. Air pollutants may have local, regional, and global
impacts, and they create several negative impacts on humans, ecosystems, and the atmosphere.
Sources of anthropogenic air pollution include agriculture, power plants, refineries,
industries, waste incinerators, wastewater treatment plants, the use of chemicals, vehicles,
vessels, and landfills; and the most common pollutants are carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides,
nitrous oxide, ammonia, methane, ground-level ozone, particle matter, sulfur dioxide, odor,
and volatile organic compounds. Carbon dioxide was not considered a pollutant before.
However, because the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is linked to climate
change, it is now considered an air pollutant. In addition, there are hazardous air pollutants that
are normally not emitted by food-processing plants, so they were not included in this chapter.
Most air emissions are the result of burning fuels by stationary and mobile sources. Stationary
sources are fixed in place. The most common stationary sources are oil refineries, chemical-
processing facilities, power plants, manufacturing facilities, and food-processing plants. Mobile
sources are on-road vehicles that are used for transportation of freight and people and nonroad
vehicles including engines, construction equipment, agricultural equipment, and recreation
vehicles.
Air emissions can be mitigated by improving the efficiency of energy use, selecting better
energy sources, using cogeneration systems, improving processes, improving management
and scheduling, innovating technology, optimizing transportation and logistics, and using
devices to minimize or capture pollutants from gas streams released to the atmosphere.
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