Global Trends and Drivers in Consumption- and Income-Based Emissions of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of the most hazardous substances. As unavoidable byproducts of petrogenic and pyrogenic processes, their emissions are dominantly linked to various economic sectors. In international trade, not only final consumption but also primary input can transfer the emissions among regions. Therefore, a long-term impact assessment of the international trade on PAH global emissions based on the final consumption and primary input could significantly benefit worldwide PAH mitigation strategies. This study investigated the changes in consumption- and income-based PAH emissions and interregional flows of worldwide regions, using the latest available data from 1999 to 2014. Results show that in 2014, 16.8 and 10.1% of global PAH emissions were transferred by consumption and primary input through international trade. Meanwhile, the production-, consumption-, and income-based emissions in most regions were decreasing. Furthermore, from the consumption-based perspective, sub-Saharan Africa surpassed China and became the largest net exporter of consumption-based emissions. From the income-based perspective, the net income-based outflows of India and the rest of Asia increased significantly, indicating the income-based emission leakage in emerging markets. From the socioeconomic perspective, emission intensity dominated the global decline in PAH emissions. As the two main factors driving the increase in emissions, the primary input structure (41%) had a larger effect than the final demand level (28%) from 1999 to 2014. Therefore, global cooperation, through the mitigation strategies of reducing emission factors and improving international trade patterns, is posited as an efficient strategy to reduce PAH pollution and related health risks.

Global trade drives transboundary transfer of the health impacts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions

“…The EE-MRIO model has been widely applied in analyzing the influences of increasing international trade on pollution 21 , 40 , 41 . In this study, after obtaining the production-based emissions, the EE-MRIO model was employed to estimate the region-specific income-, final sale-, and consumption-based PAH emissions.…”

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Freshwater Systems: A Comprehensive Review of Sources, Distribution, and Impacts

“…Although, streams presents mix of petrogenic and pyrogenic origin of PAHs, most of them are emitted in distant parts [123]. PAHs emissions are linked to diverse economic factors [113,124]. Overall, smaller streams highlight the major occurrence of pyrogenic sources of PAHs, with urban streams revealing coal/biomass combustion emissions and forested streams showing significant contributions from post-wildfire runoffs.…”

Four Years of Active Sampling and Measurement of Atmospheric Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Oxygenated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica

“…This brought the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s to incorporate PAHs in the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution . Although the emission of PAHs is reported to be decreasing, with an estimated 470 Gg (16 EPA PAHs) emitted globally in 2014, it comes to no surprise that they are found at low levels (pg m –3 levels) even in the most remote regions of the world. − Long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT) has been reported as the most efficient way for PAHs emitted from lower latitudes to reach the polar regions.…”