Mercury emissions from industrial sources in India and its effects in the environment

Mukherjee, Arun B.; Bhattacharya, Prosun; Sarkar, Atanu; Zevenhoven, Ron

doi:10.1007/978-0-387-93958-2_4

Cited by 41 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…11 Moreover, the mercury content of Indian coal may be highly variable. [52][53][54]58 Recent regulatory efforts for CFPPs have focused on plant efficiency improvements. The Indian Central Pollution Control Board has capped the ash content of coals used for thermal power generation at 34%, with all plants required to comply by 2016.…”

Section: ■ Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of the Minamata Convention on Mercury Emissions and Global Deposition from Coal-Fired Power Generation in Asia

Giang

Stokes

Streets

et al. 2015

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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ABSTRACT:We explore implications of the United Nations Minamata Convention on Mercury for emissions from Asian coal-fired power generation, and resulting changes to deposition worldwide by 2050. We use engineering analysis, document analysis, and interviews to construct plausible technology scenarios consistent with the Convention. We translate these scenarios into emissions projections for 2050, and use the GEOS-Chem model to calculate global mercury deposition. Where technology requirements in the Convention are flexibly defined, under a global energy and development scenario that relies heavily on coal, we project ∼90 and 150 Mg·y −1 of avoided power sector emissions for China and India, respectively, in 2050, compared to a scenario in which only current technologies are used. Benefits of this avoided emissions growth are primarily captured regionally, with projected changes in annual average gross deposition over China and India ∼2 and 13 μg·m −2 lower, respectively, than the current technology case. Stricter, but technologically feasible, mercury control requirements in both countries could lead to a combined additional 170 Mg·y −1 avoided emissions. Assuming only current technologies but a global transition away from coal avoids 6% and 36% more emissions than this strict technology scenario under heavy coal use for China and India, respectively.

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Section: ■ Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of the Minamata Convention on Mercury Emissions and Global Deposition from Coal-Fired Power Generation in Asia

Giang

Stokes

Streets

et al. 2015

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…There have been few studies on anthropogenic GEM emissions in South Asia, the Indochinese Peninsula, and Central Asia. A previous study suggested that total Hg emission in India was about 253 t in 2004 (Mukherjee et al, 2009). Assuming GEM accounting for 64 % of total Hg emissions in India (Pacyna et al, 2003), GEM emission in India for 2004 was estimated to be 162 t, ∼ 2 times greater compared to the estimate of 96 t in South Asia (including India and other South Asian countries) for 2010 by the UNEP report (AMAP/UNEP, 2013).…”

Section: Estimates Of Gem Emissionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlation slopes of GEM / CO, GEM / CO<sub>2</sub>, and GEM / CH<sub>4</sub> and estimated mercury emissions in China, South Asia, the Indochinese Peninsula, and Central Asia derived from observations in northwestern and southwestern China

Zhang

Lin

et al. 2015

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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Abstract. Correlation analyses between atmospheric mercury (Hg) and other trace gases are useful for identification of sources and constraining regional Hg emissions. Emissions of Hg in Asia contribute significantly to the global budget of atmospheric Hg. However, due to the lack of reliable data on the source strength, large uncertainties remain in the emission inventories of Hg in Asia. In the present study, we calculated the correlation slopes of GEM / CO, GEM / CO 2 , and GEM / CH 4 for mainland China, South Asia, the Indochinese Peninsula, and Central Asia using the ground-based observations at three remote sites in northwestern and southwestern China, and applied these values to estimate GEM emissions in the four source regions. The geometric mean GEM / CO correlation slopes for mainland China, South Asia, the Indochinese Peninsula, and Central Asia were 7.3 ± 4.3, 7.8 ± 6.4, 7.8 ± 5.0, and 13.4 ± 9.5 pg m −3 ppb −1 , respectively, and values in the same source regions were 33.3 ± 30.4, 27.4 ± 31.0, 23.5 ± 15.3, and 20.5 ± 10.0 pg m −3 ppb −1 for the GEM / CH 4 correlation slopes, respectively. The geometric means of GEM / CO 2 correlation slopes for mainland China, South Asia, and Central Asia were 240 ± 119, 278 ± 164, 315 ± 289 pg m −3 ppm −1 , respectively. These values were the first reported correlation slopes of GEM / CO, GEM / CO 2 , and GEM / CH 4 in four important source regions of Asia, not including the GEM / CO ratios in mainland China. The correlation slopes of GEM / CO, GEM / CO 2 , and GEM / CH 4 in Asia were relatively higher than those observed in Europe, North America, and South Africa, which may highlight GEM emissions from nonferrous smelting, large-scale and artisanal mercury and gold production, natural sources, and historically deposited mercury (re-emission) in Asia. Using the observed GEM / CO and GEM / CO 2 slopes, and the recently reported emission inventories of CO and CO 2 , the annual GEM emissions in mainland China, South Asia, the Indochinese Peninsula, and Central Asia were estimated to be in the ranges of 1071-1187, 340-470, 125, and 54-90 t, respectively. The estimated quantity of GEM emissions from the GEM / CH 4 correlation slopes is significantly larger, which may be due to the larger uncertainties in CH 4 emissions in Asia as well as insufficient observations of GEM / CH 4 correlation slopes, therefore leading to an overestimate of GEM emissions. Our estimates of GEM emissions in the four Asian regions were significantly higher (3-4 times) than the anthropogenic GEM emissions reported in recent studies. This discrepancy could come from a combination of reasons including underestimates of anthropogenic and natural GEM emissions; large uncertainties related to CO, CO 2 , and CH 4 emission inventories; and inherent limitations of the correlation slope method.

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“…These areas are regarded as important source regions of many air pollutants that pose significant health risks locally and regionally (Rajgopal, 2003;Lelieveld et al, 2001). Previous studies indicated that Hg emissions within south and southeast Asia, including southwestern China, have significant impacts on the distribution and deposition of atmospheric Hg in south and east Asia Mukherjee et al, 2009;Sheu et al, 2013;Fu et al, 2015;Zhang et al, 2012). These influences have raised concerns about high atmospheric Hg levels in India and southwestern China, and increased Hg contents in the snow packs of Hindu Kush Himalayan-Tibetan glaciers (Loewen et al, 2005(Loewen et al, , 2007Kang et al, 2016).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Monsoon-facilitated characteristics and transport of atmospheric mercury at a high-altitude background site in southwestern China

Hui

Lin

et al. 2016

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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Abstract. To better understand the influence of monsoonal climate and transport of atmospheric mercury (Hg) in southwestern China, measurements of total gaseous mercury (TGM, defined as the sum of gaseous elemental mercury, GEM, and gaseous oxidized mercury, GOM), particulate bound mercury (PBM) and GOM were carried out at Ailaoshan Station (ALS, 2450 m a.s.l.) in southwestern China from May 2011 to May 2012. The mean concentrations (± SD) for TGM, GOM and PBM were 2.09 ± 0.63, 2.2 ± 2.3 and 31.3 ± 28.4 pg m −3 , respectively. TGM showed a monsoonal distribution pattern with relatively higher concentrations (2.22 ± 0.58 ng m −3 , p = 0.021) during the Indian summer monsoon (ISM, from May to September) and the east Asia summer monsoon (EASM, from May to September) periods than that (1.99 ± 0.66 ng m −3 ) in the non-ISM period. Similarly, GOM and PBM concentrations were higher during the ISM period than during the non-ISM period. This study suggests that the ISM and the EASM have a strong impact on longrange and transboundary transport of Hg between southwestern China and south and southeast Asia. Several high TGM events were accompanied by the occurrence of northern wind during the ISM period, indicating anthropogenic Hg emissions from inland China could rapidly increase TGM levels at ALS due to strengthening of the EASM. Most of the TGM and PBM events occurred at ALS during the non-ISM period. Meanwhile, high CO concentrations were also observed at ALS, indicating that a strong south tributary of westerlies could have transported Hg from south and southeast Asia to southwestern China during the non-ISM period. The biomass burning in southeast Asia and anthropogenic Hg emissions from south Asia are thought to be the source of atmospheric Hg in remote areas of southwestern China during the non-ISM period.

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Mercury emissions from industrial sources in India and its effects in the environment

Cited by 41 publications

References 42 publications

Impacts of the Minamata Convention on Mercury Emissions and Global Deposition from Coal-Fired Power Generation in Asia

Impacts of the Minamata Convention on Mercury Emissions and Global Deposition from Coal-Fired Power Generation in Asia

Correlation slopes of GEM / CO, GEM / CO<sub>2</sub>, and GEM / CH<sub>4</sub> and estimated mercury emissions in China, South Asia, the Indochinese Peninsula, and Central Asia derived from observations in northwestern and southwestern China

Monsoon-facilitated characteristics and transport of atmospheric mercury at a high-altitude background site in southwestern China

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Mercury emissions from industrial sources in India and its effects in the environment

Cited by 41 publications

References 42 publications

Impacts of the Minamata Convention on Mercury Emissions and Global Deposition from Coal-Fired Power Generation in Asia

Impacts of the Minamata Convention on Mercury Emissions and Global Deposition from Coal-Fired Power Generation in Asia

Correlation slopes of GEM / CO, GEM / CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and GEM / CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; and estimated mercury emissions in China, South Asia, the Indochinese Peninsula, and Central Asia derived from observations in northwestern and southwestern China

Monsoon-facilitated characteristics and transport of atmospheric mercury at a high-altitude background site in southwestern China

Contact Info

Product

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Correlation slopes of GEM / CO, GEM / CO<sub>2</sub>, and GEM / CH<sub>4</sub> and estimated mercury emissions in China, South Asia, the Indochinese Peninsula, and Central Asia derived from observations in northwestern and southwestern China