Particulate Matters Generated by Caprisoara Tailing Pond and Their Impact on Air Quality

Abstract

Analyzing and reducing the possible effects of air pollution on human health became important issues for improving the quality of life in urban areas. Particulate matters (PM) are air pollutants with a potential important impact on the health of vulnerable people (e.g., children, elderly) and non-vulnerable people as well. The level of PM air pollution is mainly influenced by the PM concentration and by parameters such as the meteorological conditions and the synergic effects of other air pollutants. Different clime scenarios have been developed to model the PM dispersion generated by the Caprisoara tailing pond, which stores the ashes from the Paroseni thermal power plant, and the effect on city Vulcan from Jiu Valley, in the Meridional Carpathian Mountains. The PM dispersion was simulated using the METI-LIS version 2.03 (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry-Low rise Industrial Source dispersion model)-a software developed under the funding of the Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Research Center for Chemical Risk Management from Japan. The dominant direction of the winds in the Vulcan area is west, westnorth-west, therefore the contribution of the Caprisoara tailings pond to PM generation in Vulcan is limited to periods when the wind blows from south, south-southwest , with an above average intensity in the conditions of a turbulent atmosphere, which happens during the summer. A cheap solution to minimize the displacement of fine particles is to maintain permanently a layer of wet material on the top of tailing pond.

Urban Air Quality Monitoring in Decarbonization Context; Case Study—Traditional Coal Mining Area, Petroșani, Romania

“…The mining industry in the Jiu Valley had and still has a significant influence on the environmental pollution factors, both by the discharge of noxious substances into the atmosphere and the large quantities of waste produced, as well as by their variety. Air pollution is a complex phenomenon involving a multitude of pollutants that can cause alterations in the health of the population and in the quality of the environment, causing serious effects, depending on the concentration or duration, acting either through high concentrations for a short period or through reduced concentrations for a long period [25,33].…”

“…According to that research, the contribution of the Capris , oara tailings pond to PM generation in Vulcan is limited to periods when the wind blows from the south and southsouthwest, with an above-average intensity in the conditions of a turbulent atmosphere, which happens during the summer storms [33].…”

Screening Risk Assessment at the Production and Use Stage of Carbon Nanomaterials Generated in Hydrogen Manufacture by Methane Decomposition

“…The solid carbon concentration near a methane decomposition factory was simulated in METI-LIS version 3.4.2, a Gaussian dispersion model that simulates particle matter emitted from the point sources of industrial facilities [16,28]. A yearly average atmospheric concentration can be estimated with this model when hourly meteorological datasets are prepared by the users [29].…”

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“…Hence, it is imperative to engage in realtime monitoring of indoor air quality (IAQ) in buildings in order to promptly identify and address any hazardous conditions. The indoor air quality (IAQ) is of utmost importance for individuals who spend a significant amount of time indoors, such as the elderly, disabled, babies, chronic patients, as it presents a significant health risk to these vulnerable groups [3,4,5].…”