A Case Study of the Relative Effects of Power Plant Nitrogen Oxides and Sulfur Dioxide Emission Reductions on Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition

Abstract

The contrasting effects of point source nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) air emission reductions on regional atmospheric nitrogen deposition are analyzed for the case study of a coal-fired power plant in the southeastern United States. The effect of potential emission reductions at the plant on nitrogen deposition to Escambia Bay and its watershed on the Florida-Alabama border is simulated using the three-dimensional Eulerian Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. A method to quantify the relative and individual effects of NO x versus SO 2 controls on nitrogen deposition using air quality modeling results obtained from the simultaneous application of NO x and SO 2 emission controls is presented and discussed using the results from CMAQ simulations conducted with NO x -only and SO 2 -only emission reductions; the method applies only to cases in which ambient inorganic nitrate is present mostly in the gas phase; that is, in the form of gaseous nitric acid (HNO 3 ). In such instances, the individual effects of NO x and SO 2 controls on nitrogen deposition can be approximated by the effects of combined NO x ϩ SO 2 controls on the deposition of NO y (the sum of oxidized nitrogen species) and reduced nitrogen species (NH x ), respectively. The benefit of controls at the plant in terms of the decrease in nitrogen deposition to Escambia Bay and watershed is less than 6% of the overall benefit due to regional Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) controls.

Associations Between Residential Proximity to Power Plants and Adverse Birth Outcomes

“…Although we chose PM 2.5 to "validate" our exposure, power plants also emit other gaseous pollutants including carbon oxides, sulfur dioxide, and nitric oxides (41), all of which are highly correlated (30). Because of the use of proximity and the unavailability of specific pollutant data from the US Environmental Protection Agency's Hierarchical Bayesian Prediction Model, we were unable to disentangle the specific pollutant.…”

A framework to estimate biodiversity loss and associated costs due to nitrogen emissions from single power plants

“…According to our calculations, single power plants that annually emit between 22,720 and 365,138 kg NO x affected between 7712 and 53,695 ha of nature area in protected Natura 2000 sites in the Netherlands. Nitrogen emitted by power plants are deposited and diluted over large distances, making biodiversity impact assessments very difficult (Curran et al, 2011;Huijbregts et al, 2001;Vijayaraghavan et al, 2010). Curran et al (2011) reviewed the use of indicators and approaches to model biodiversity loss in Life Cycle Assessment.…”

“…In the energy sector, the combustion of fuels to produce electricity causes nitrogen emissions (Vijayaraghavan et al, 2010) with concomitant negative effects on biodiversity. Although life cycle assessments (LCA) of the energy sector have been applied for land and material use (Curran et al, 2011;Eksi and Karaosmanoglu, 2018;Verones et al, 2015), this has been done much less for the localized contexts of operational impacts (Kl€ opffer and Curran, 2016).…”

Chemicals and Allied Products Waste Treatment

“…Vijayaraghavan et al concluded that through a three-dimensional Eulerian Community Multiscale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) for coal-fired power plants and emission of nitrates and sulfates in southeastern United States at the Escambia Bay and the watershed model on the Florida-Alabama border. The results indicated an effect on the concentration of nitrates and sulfur dioxide control on nitrogen deposition can be combined by the results of the nitrates and sulfates on oxidized nitrogen and reduced nitrogen species [75]. Corsi and Lin developed a model based on the component within latex paint, 2,2,3-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate, compiling past history on emissions, recovery and factors affecting the process, and information on models describing the emissions [76].…”