Intake Fraction of PM₁₀ from Coal Mine Emissions in the North of Colombia

Abstract

Intake fraction was determined in this study to provide insight into population exposures to PM10 that is effectively inhaled due to emissions of an opencast coal mine. We applied the CALPUFF model to a coal mine in Northern Colombia, which has 6 active pits with an annual production of 33.7 million tons. We estimated the intake fractions for 7 towns through the integration of dispersion model results over the population data. The resulting average intake fractions were between 6.13 × 10−9 and 3.66 × 10−8 for PM10. 62.4% of the intake fractions in the domain were calculated within a 23 km radius from the coal mine and coved 44.3% of the total population in this area. We calculated an estimate point for morbidity impacts using standard epidemiological assumptions. It is estimated that there were annually 105835 restricted activity days and 336832 respiratory symptom cases due to the direct impact of the opencast coal mining. These data also provide a framework for improved understanding of the effect of coal mining in Colombia.

Effects of a coal phase-out in Europe on reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals

“…However, despite high royalties and taxes from mining, the municipals in the coal regions are still often poor and have problems to ensure minimum living standards for the majority of their population (BetterCoal, Cerrejon, 2019). The proximity of coal mines to cities and towns affects average levels of particulate matter (PM 2.5, PM 10) in the air, which has a negative impact on human health within 23 km of open-pit mines in northern Columbia, where 92% of coal is produced (Arregocés et al, 2018). In contrast, in a bibliometric analysis of Chinese mining cities, Jiao et al (2020) show that mining and the transition towards sustainable cities do not necessarily contradict each other.…”

Effects of Lockdown due to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality at Latin America’s Largest Open-pit Coal Mine

“…Although the economic impact due to the reduction of activities in Cerrejón has been determined, the impact in terms of air quality in the area has not been quantified. Opencast coal mines are considered important sources of PM emissions (Arregocés et al, 2018;Huertas et al, 2012). The contaminants emitted can cause the deterioration of air quality in the vicinity of the emissions and hundreds of kilometers away (Chaulya, 2004).…”

“…However, topography and wind direction transport PM to the South Zone. PM monitoring stations located in the South Zone have recorded the highest levels of concentrations downwind of the extraction pitsA C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T10(Arregocés et al, 2018;Rojano et al, 2018). April 4 was the most polluted day during the quarantine.…”

PARTICULATE MATTER EMISSIONS in SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS: LITERATURE RESEARCH

“…Açık granit işletmeciliğinde çalışanlarda PM maruziyeti sonucu akciğer ve karaciğer ile ilgili olarak silikoz, bronşit, tüberküloz gibi hastalıklara yakalanma riski bulunduğu ve maden işletmesi çevresinde yaşayanların astım, göz problemleri, pnömokonyoz hastalığı, işitme problemleri ve cilt hastalıkları gibi meslek hastalıklarından etkilendiği ifade edilmiştir (Singh, Pal ve Khoiyanbam, 2009). Açık maden işletmeciliğinde çalışan ve maden çevresinde yaşayanlarda PM maruziyetinden dolayı akciğer hastalıklarına, kardiyovasküler hastalıklara, böbrek hastalığına, depresyon, kanser dışı solunum hastalıklarına, kötü doğum sonuçları gibi değişik hastalıklara yakalanma riski bulunduğu (Laney ve Weissman 2014;Hendryx, 2015;Gautam, Patra, Sahu ve Hitch, 2016), ölüm oranlarının daha yüksek olduğu ifade edilmektedir (Arregoce´s, Rojano, Angulo ve Restrepo, 2018).…”