Environmental challenges and air pollution in Bac Lieu, Vietnam: assessing sources and impacts

Abstract

Bac Lieu, a region with diverse industries like handicrafts, agriculture, tourism, and a thriving marine economy, faces environmental challenges from climate change, resource exploitation, and rising air pollution due to vehicular, industrial, and agricultural emissions, along with waste management issues. The materials and methods employed in this study encompassed various phases critical for assessing air quality and devising an Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) for Bac Lieu province. The AQMP framework involved activities such as baseline assessments, emission inventories, air quality monitoring, and modeling using dispersion models like AERMOD. The study proposed the application of the AirQ + model to analyze the correlation between air quality and human health, emphasizing the short-term effects of pollutants on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and estimating potential avoidable cases in Bac Lieu province. The emissions inventory in Bac Lieu province categorizes sources into point, mobile, and area. Major CO emissions come from waste burning, cooking, and mixed sources, while traffic significantly impacts CO levels. Residential areas show significant PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 emissions. Point sources impact nearby areas, notably in districts like Hong Dan and Phuoc Long. Cooking activities lead to high PM10 and CO emissions, especially in Bac Lieu city. Traffic emissions, particularly in urban hubs, significantly contribute to pollution, notably in Bac Lieu City, Vinh Loi, and Hoa Binh districts. Transportation emissions in urban zones contribute significantly to air pollution, while rural areas are influenced by various activities like burning, construction, and cooking, shaping diverse local air quality.