The distribution of air temperature and velocity in the selected boiler room

Wiśniewski²

2022

Sustainability

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Following the emergence of the infectious disease COVID-19, caused by the coronavirus SARS-Cov-2, the WHO (World Health Organization) declared a pandemic in March 2020. The pandemic has affected people’s health, social behaviour, and the economy around the world. It has also had an indirect impact on the environment, including atmospheric air quality, related to changes in the levels of pollutant emissions and the amounts of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. The observed changes have, in part, been a consequence of restrictions on human movement, which has translated into an increase in water consumption, and consequently into an increase in the volume of wastewater. As a result, a new type of incoming load has appeared in sewage treatment plants. Municipal sewage sludge (MSS) is a waste product from the wastewater treatment process, containing substances that are hazardous to both the environment and humans (bacteria, pathogens, viruses). To dispose of these contaminants, MSS is thermally processed in specially designed installations. Thermal recycling technology is based on a fluidized bed, in which MSS is rapidly transformed at a temperature of at least 750 °C. Organic compounds are oxidized, gasified, and combusted. The exhaust fumes are emitted into the atmosphere. They also carry a load of pollutants, which can affect the air quality both on site and in the surroundings of the treatment plant. This paper presents measurements of air pollutant emissions and pollutant concentrations provided by the Group Sewage Treatment Plant in Łódź Itd. Łódź is a city located in Poland, in central Eastern Europe. The research covers the area of the wastewater treatment plant and its immediate surroundings within a radius of about 1.5 km. The data show the influence of the pandemic restrictions on the concentrations of gaseous substances, bacteria, fungi, and particulate matter on the state of air quality. Increased emissions of NOx (by 86%), PM10 (by 50%), HCl (by 37%), and SO2 (by 16%) were observed compared to the pre-COVID-19 period.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Pandemic COVID-19 on Air Quality at a Combustion Plant and Adjacent Areas

Wiśniewski²

2022

Sustainability

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Average Hourly Concentrations of Air Contaminants in Selected Urban, Town, and Rural Sites

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol

Stelęgowski

2019

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The inhabitants of cities, towns, and villages are exposed to different levels of air pollution, which also vary throughout the day. Information regarding episodes of poor and good air quality enables planning to mitigate the risks and maximize the benefits of spending time outdoors. In this work, an analysis was made of the state of air quality 2012–2016, using data gathered from automatic measuring stations located in five cities (> 50,000 inhabitants), five towns (5000–50,000 inhabitants), and five villages (< 5000 inhabitants) in five neighboring provinces in central Poland, in Central Europe. The monitoring stations were designated as “city background”, “town background”, and “rural background”. More than 3 million pieces of data were collected from 15 monitoring stations. This allowed the average daily changes in the concentration of air pollutants (NO 2 and NO x , O 3 , SO 2 , CO, PM 10 , PM 2.5 , C 6 H 6 ) to be determined, depending on the type of station and the size of the settlement unit in both winter periods and summer periods. As a result, the most and least favorable hours in terms of levels of air pollution were identified. This information could help to inform air quality management in modern cities, towns, and villages and to improve the quality of life, particularly among those most susceptible to the negative effects of air pollution, such as the elderly and children. Graphical Abstract

Effect of thermal sludge processing on selected components of air quality in the vicinity of a wastewater treatment plant

Stelęgowski

2018

Chem. Pap.

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Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) generate considerable amounts of sewage sludge. The thermal sludge treatment system (TSTS) is therefore one of the most important technological units of a WWTP. However, due to technological processes involved in thermal sludge treatment, specific chemical, physical and biological conditions may arise that can affect air quality both within the WWTP area and in its vicinity. This study uses data from experimental measurements taken in and around a WWTP to assess the impact of thermal sludge treatment on air quality. The selected facility is located in the Group Sewage Treatment Plant in the Lodz Agglomeration and serves a population of around one million. The concentrations of harmful gaseous substances, bacteria, fungi, particulate matter and thermal energy were investigated. The qualitative and quantitative characteristics of physical, chemical, and biological factors and their influence on air quality are presented.