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At least 577 records · Page 32

Criteria Air Pollutant and Greenhouse Gases Emissions from U.S. Refineries Allocated to Refinery Products

Using Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program data (GHGRP) and National Emissions Inventory data from 2014, we investigate U.S. refinery greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (CO2, CH4, and N2O) and criteria air pollutant (CAP) emissions (VOC, CO, NOx, SO2, PM10, and PM2.5). The study derives (1) combustion emission factors (EFs) of refinery fuels (e.g., refinery catalyst coke and refinery combined gas), (2) U.S. refinery GHG emissions and CAP emissions per crude throughput at the national and regional levels, and (3) GHG and CAP emissions attributable to U.S. refinery products. The latter two emissions were further itemized by source: combustion emission, process emission, and facility-wide emission. We estimated U.S. refinery product GHG and CAP emissions via energy allocation at the refinery process unit level. The unit energy demand and unit flow information were adopted from the Petroleum Refinery Life Cycle Inventory Model (PRELIM version 1.1) by fitting individual U.S. refineries. This study fills an important information gap because it (1) evaluates refinery CAP emissions along with GHG emissions and (2) provides CAP and GHG emissions not only for refinery main products (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, etc.) but also for refinery secondary products (asphalt, lubricant, wax, light olefins, etc.).

allocation↗

Using Convex Optimization to Efficiently Apportion Tracer and Pollutant Sources From Point Concentration Observations

Abstract Rivers transport elements, minerals, chemicals, and pollutants produced in their upstream basins. A sample from a river is a mixture of all of its upstream sources, making it challenging to pinpoint the contribution from each individual source. Here, we show how a nested sample design and convex optimization can be used to efficiently unmix downstream samples of a well‐mixed, conservative tracer in a steady state system into the contributions of their upstream sources. Our approach is significantly faster than previous methods. We represent the river's sub‐catchments, defined by sampling sites, using a directed acyclic graph. This graph is used to build a convex optimization problem which, thanks to its convexity, can be quickly solved to global optimality—in under a second on desktop hardware for data sets of ∼100 samples or fewer. Uncertainties in the upstream predictions can be generated using Monte Carlo resampling. We provide an open‐source implementation of this approach in Python. The inputs required are straightforward: a table containing sample locations and observed tracer concentrations, along with a D8 flow‐direction raster map. As a case study, we use this method to map the elemental geochemistry of sediment sources for rivers draining the Cairngorms mountains, UK. This method could be extended to non‐conservative and non‐steady state tracers. We also show, theoretically, how multiple tracers could be simultaneously inverted to recover upstream run‐off or erosion rates as well as source concentrations. Overall, this approach can provide valuable insights to researchers in various fields, including water quality, geochemical exploration, geochemistry, hydrology, and wastewater epidemiology.

Barnes, Richard↗

Co-Benefits of Mitigating Aerosol Pollution to Future Solar and Wind Energy in China Toward Carbon Neutrality

The climate commitment to achieving carbon neutrality before 2060 in China has been announced recently. In the context of pursuing carbon neutrality, sharing similar sources as greenhouse gases, aerosol particle and precursor emissions are projected to substantially decrease in China, which can potentially have a great impact on climate. Here, we investigate the effects of future aerosol reductions, because of achieving carbon neutrality, on solar and wind energy in China by using an earth system model. We show that significant reductions in aerosol emissions, particularly in eastern China, lead to increases in the surface downwelling shortwave radiation, surface air temperature and wind speed, which can further enhance the potential of solar and wind energy production. The findings underline that the pursuit of carbon neutrality can yield co-benefits of not only mitigating climate change and air pollution but also fortifying the stability of renewable energy sources.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Urban pollution greatly enhances formation of natural aerosols over the Amazon rainforest

One of the least understood aspects in atmospheric chemistry is how urban emissions influence the formation of natural organic aerosols, which affect Earth’s energy budget. The Amazon rainforest, during its wet season, is one of the few remaining places on Earth where atmospheric chemistry transitions between preindustrial and urban pollution-influenced conditions. Here we integrate insights from several laboratory measurements and simulate the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) in the Amazon using a high-resolution chemical transport model. Simulations show that urban emissions of oxides of nitrogen from Manaus, a city of ~2 million people, greatly enhance production of biogenic SOA by 60-200% on average with peak enhancements of 400%, through the increased oxidation of gas-phase organic carbon emitted by the forests. Simulated enhancements agree with aircraft measurements, and are much larger than those reported over other locations. Furthermore, the implication is that increasing anthropogenic emissions in future years might substantially enhance biogenic SOA formation in pristine locations like the Amazon.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Range Hood Use and Effectiveness in Reducing Indoor Air Pollution During Gas and Induction Cooking

The Cooking Energy and Ventilation Impacts on Children's Asthma (CEVICA) study measured cooking frequency, range hood use, indoor air quality and respiratory health indicators of children with asthma living in homes with gas stoves in California's San Joaquin Valley. The study installed electric induction stoves and repeated measurements over three 2-week intensive periods, at baseline and at the end of two consecutive 3-month study phases. Stove replacements occurred at the start of Phase 1 or Phase 2 by random assignment. There were 4184 cooking events identified by automated analysis of time-series data from temperature sensors mounted above the cooktops and 1038 related range hood usage events detected from data recorded by anemometers, smart plugs, or motor loggers. Analysis of 1-minute resolved PM2.5 and NO 2 data identified and quantified 2685 PM 2.5 events and 2606 NO 2 events. Range hood use was characterized as a binary variable (>3 min vs. <3 min use). Range hood use was more common during cooking events associated with particle emissions and longer cooking durations. PM 2.5 concentrations during events with range hood use were comparable to those without use, which could result from limited effectiveness or if range hoods were preferentially used during higher-emission cooking scenarios. In homes with gas cooking, integrated NO 2 concentrations were about 45 percent higher during cooking events with no range hood use compared to those range hood use. The lowest pollutant levels were observed when the range hood operated for more than half of the cooking duration. These findings show that operation of venting range hood during cooking can substantially reduce short-term indoor exposure NO 2 in homes with gas cooking.

Fang, Yi↗

Lidar-based remote infrared gas sensor for monitoring anthropogenic pollution: a proof of concept

We propose using wavelength-modulation laser absorption spectroscopy in combination with quadrature detection of scattered light for remote industrial pollution monitoring in the atmosphere with a compact lidar-based gas sensor, which can be mounted on board an unmanned aerial vehicle. The instrument can be used for detecting leaks in product pipe lines; monitoring toxic gases near landfill sites, waste incineration plants, and other hazardous man-made facilities; analysing the gas atmosphere in industrial buildings and structures; and monitoring engineering processes at a sensitivity level of tens of ppm m in gas concentration measurements at characteristic distances of tens of metres. (laser applications and other issues in quantum electronics)

42 ENGINEERING↗

The polluted atmosphere of the white dwarf NLTT 25792 and the diversity of circumstellar environments

We present an analysis of X-shooter spectra of the polluted, hydrogen-rich white dwarf NLTT 25792. The spectra show strong lines of calcium (Ca H and K, near-infrared calcium triplet, and Ca Iλ4226) and numerous lines of iron along with magnesium and aluminum lines from which we draw the abundance pattern. Moreover, the photospheric Ca H and K lines are possibly blended with a circumstellar component shifted by –20 km s{sup –1} relative to the photosphere. A comparison with a sample of four white dwarfs with similar parameters show considerable variations in their abundance patterns, particularly in the calcium to magnesium abundance ratio that varies by a factor of five within this sample. The observed variations, even after accounting for diffusion effects, imply similar variations in the putative accretion source. Also, we find that silicon and sodium are significantly underabundant in the atmosphere of NLTT 25792, a fact that may offer some clues on the nature of the accretion source.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The baryon cycle of dwarf galaxies: dark, bursty, gas-rich polluters

We present results from a fully cosmological, very high-resolution, ΛCDM simulation of a group of seven field dwarf galaxies with present-day virial masses in the range M {sub vir} = 4.4 × 10{sup 8}-3.6 × 10{sup 10} M {sub ☉}. The simulation includes a blastwave scheme for supernova feedback, a star-formation recipe based on a high gas density threshold, metal-dependent radiative cooling, a scheme for the turbulent diffusion of metals and thermal energy, and a uniform UV background. The properties of the simulated dwarfs are strongly modulated by the depth of the gravitational potential well. All three halos with M {sub vir} < 10{sup 9} M {sub ☉} are devoid of stars, as they never reach the density threshold for star formation of 100 atoms cm{sup –3}. The other four, M {sub vir} > 10{sup 9} M {sub ☉} dwarfs have blue colors, low star-formation efficiencies, high cold gas-to-stellar mass ratios, and low stellar metallicities. Their bursty star-formation histories are characterized by peak specific star-formation rates in excess of 50-100 Gyr{sup –1}, far outside the realm of normal, more massive galaxies. The median stellar age of the simulated galaxies decreases with decreasing halo mass, with the two M {sub vir} ≅ 2-3 × 10{sup 9} M {sub ☉} dwarfs being predominantly young, and the two more massive systems hosting intermediate and older populations. The cosmologically young dwarfs are lit up by tidal interactions, have compact morphologies, and have metallicities and cold gas fractions similar to the relatively quiescent, extremely metal-deficient dwarf population. Metal-enriched galactic outflows produce sub-solar effective yields and pollute with heavy elements a megaparsec-size region of the intergalactic medium, but are not sufficient to completely quench star-formation activity and are absent in the faintest dwarfs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Magnesium abundances in cool metal-polluted white dwarfs

ABSTRACT The accretion of rocky material is responsible for the presence of heavy elements in the atmospheres of a large fraction of white dwarf stars. Those objects represent a unique opportunity to infer the bulk composition of exoplanetesimals. This chemical characterization requires the use of detailed atmosphere models to determine the elemental abundances at the photospheres of white dwarfs. In this work, we use a state-of-the-art model atmosphere code to reanalyse the first large survey of metal-polluted white dwarfs for which abundances are found for multiple elements. We show that the improved constitutive physics of our models lead to systematically higher Mg abundances than previous analyses. We find an average $\log \, {\rm Mg/Ca}$ number abundance ratio of 1.5. This value is significantly above the reference abundance for chondrites, which is expected as current diffusion models predict that for the cool helium-atmosphere white dwarfs of our sample, Mg should remain in the atmosphere longer than Ca. This helps resolve a recently identified Mg depletion problem, where the planetesimals accreted by white dwarfs were reported to be Mg-deficient compared to the expected composition of their planetary systems.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

White dwarf pollution by hydrated planetary remnants: hydrogen and metals in WD J204713.76–125908.9

ABSTRACT WD J204713.76–125908.9 is a new addition to the small class of white dwarfs with helium-dominated photospheres that exhibit strong Balmer absorption lines and atmospheric metal pollution. The exceptional abundances of hydrogen observed in these stars may be the result of accretion of water-rich rocky bodies. We obtained far-ultraviolet and optical spectroscopy of WD J204713.76–125908.9 using the Cosmic Origin Spectrograph on-board the Hubble Space Telescope and X-shooter on the Very Large Telescope, and identify photospheric absorption lines of nine metals: C, O, Mg, Si, P, S, Ca, Fe, and Ni. The abundance ratios are consistent with the steady-state accretion of exo-planetesimal debris rich in the volatile elements carbon and oxygen, and the transitional element sulphur, by factors of 17, 2, and 4, respectively, compared to the bulk Earth. The parent body has a composition akin to Solar system carbonaceous chondrites, and the inferred minimum mass, 1.6 × 1020 g, is comparable to an asteroid 23 km in radius. We model the composition of the disrupted parent body, finding from our simulations a median water mass fraction of 8 per cent.

Hoskin, Matthew J.↗

Using ground-based measurements to recover the spectra of radiation escaping from distant light-pollution sources

ABSTRACT A professional dark sky assessment normally requires the numerical modelling of light propagation from ground-based sources into the atmosphere. The spectral power distribution (SPD) of light escaping from an artificial source is one of the key parameters needed in predicting models to simulate the optical signatures of the night sky as a function of distance. SPD at zero distance is due to a non-trivial superposition of light beams, but does not necessarily coincide with the weighted SPD of individual lights. This is because most photons can be removed by obstacles or can interact with many surfaces before being directed into the atmosphere. We have developed an experimental and theoretical method for obtaining the initial SPD from ground-based spectroscopy of the night sky. The method is applicable to distant sources of light and is demonstrated in field measurements conducted on the light dome of Chicago with a new sky glow spectrometer. We show that the method requires analysing the relative impact of local light sources scattered around the measuring site on the radiance of the light dome. Our theoretical method along with ground-based spectroscopy represents a new approach to characterizing light-pollution sources which are otherwise difficult to study due to lack of information on either light-source inventory or a heterogeneous 3D structure of light-emitting and blocking environments.

Kocifaj, M.↗

Asteroseismological analysis of the polluted ZZ Ceti star G 29 – 38 with TESS

G29 – 38 (TIC 422526868) is one of the brightest (V = 13.1) and closest (d = 17.51 pc) pulsating white dwarfs with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere (DAV/ZZ Ceti class). It was observed by the TESS spacecraft in sectors 42 and 56. The atmosphere of G 29 – 38 is polluted by heavy elements that are expected to sink out of visible layers on short time-scales. Here, the photometric TESS data set spans ~51 d in total, and from this, we identified 56 significant pulsation frequencies, that include rotational frequency multiplets. In addition, we identified 30 combination frequencies in each sector. The oscillation frequencies that we found are associated with g-mode pulsations, with periods spanning from ~ 260 to ~ 1400 s. We identified rotational frequency triplets with a mean separation δν ℓ = 1 of 4.67 μHz and a quintuplet with a mean separation δν ℓ = 2 of 6.67 μHz, from which we estimated a rotation period of about 1.35 ± 0.1 d. We determined a constant period spacing of 41.20 s for ℓ = 1 modes and 22.58 s for ℓ = 2 modes. We performed period-to-period fit analyses and found an asteroseismological model with M * /M ⊙ = 0.632 ± 0.03, K, and log g = 8.048 ± 0.005 (with a hydrogen envelope mass of M H ~ 5.6 × 10 –5 M * ), in good agreement with the values derived from spectroscopy. We obtained an asteroseismic distance of 17.54 pc, which is in excellent agreement with that provided by Gaia (17.51 pc).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Earth, Wind, Fire, and Pollution: Aerosol Nutrient Sources and Impacts on Ocean Biogeochemistry

A key Earth system science question is the role of atmospheric deposition in supplying vital nutrients to the phytoplankton that form the base of marine food webs. Industrial and vehicular pollution, wildfires, volcanoes, biogenic debris, and desert dust all carry nutrients within their plumes throughout the globe. In remote ocean ecosystems, aerosol deposition represents an essential new source of nutrients for primary production. The large spatiotemporal variability in aerosols from myriad sources combined with the differential responses of marine biota to changing fluxes makes it crucially important to understand where, when, and how much nutrients from the atmosphere enter marine ecosystems. This review brings together existing literature, experimental evidence of impacts, and new atmospheric nutrient observations that can be compared with atmospheric and ocean biogeochemistry modeling. We evaluate the contribution and spatiotemporal variability of nutrient-bearing aerosols from desert dust, wildfire, volcanic, and anthropogenic sources, including the organic component, deposition fluxes, and oceanic impacts.

Marine & Freshwater Biology↗

Impact of acute temperature and air pollution exposures on adult lung function: A panel study of asthmatics

Background Individuals with respiratory conditions, such as asthma, are particularly susceptible to adverse health effects associated with higher levels of ambient air pollution and temperature. This study evaluates whether hourly levels of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and dry bulb globe temperature (DBGT) are associated with the lung function of adult participants with asthma. Methods and findings Global positioning system (GPS) location, respiratory function (measured as forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV 1 )), and self-reports of asthma medication usage and symptoms were collected as part of the Exposure, Location, and Lung Function (ELF) study. Hourly ambient PM 2.5 and DBGT exposures were estimated by integrating air quality and temperature public records with time-activity patterns using GPS coordinates for each participant (n = 35). The relationships between acute PM 2.5 , DBGT, rescue bronchodilator use, and lung function collected in one week periods and over two seasons (summer/winter) were analyzed by multivariate regression, using different exposure time frames. In separate models, increasing levels in PM 2.5 , but not DBGT, were associated with rescue bronchodilator use. Conversely DBGT, but not PM 2.5 , had a significant association with FEV 1 . When DBGT and PM 2.5 exposures were placed in the same model, the strongest association between cumulative PM 2.5 exposures and the use of rescue bronchodilator was identified at the 0–24 hours (OR = 1.030; 95% CI = 1.012–1.049; p-value = 0.001) and 0–48 hours (OR = 1.030; 95% CI = 1.013–1.057; p-value = 0.001) prior to lung function measure. Conversely, DBGT exposure at 0 hours (β = 3.257; SE = 0.879; p-value>0.001) and 0–6 hours (β = 2.885; SE = 0.903; p-value = 0.001) hours before a reading were associated with FEV 1 . No significant interactions between DBGT and PM 2.5 were observed for rescue bronchodilator use or FEV 1 . Conclusions Short-term increases in PM 2.5 were associated with increased rescue bronchodilator use, while DBGT was associated with higher lung function (i.e. FEV 1 ). Further studies are needed to continue to elucidate the mechanisms of acute exposure to PM 2.5 and DBGT on lung function in asthmatics.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants - Radionuclide Emissions Calendar Year 2013

The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) operates the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) and North Las Vegas Facility (NLVF). From 1951 through 1992, the NNSS was the continental testing location for U.S. nuclear weapons. The release of radionuclides from NNSS activities has been monitored since the initiation of atmospheric testing. Limitations to underground detonations after 1962 greatly reduced radiation exposure to the public surrounding the NNSS. After nuclear testing ended in 1992, NNSS radiation monitoring focused on detecting airborne radionuclides from historically contaminated soils. These radionuclides are derived from re-suspension of soil (primarily by wind) and emission of tritium-contaminated soil moisture through evapotranspiration. Low amounts of legacy-related tritium are also emitted to air at the NLVF, an NNSS support complex in North Las Vegas. To protect the public from harmful levels of man-made radiation, the Clean Air Act, National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) (Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part 61 Subpart H) (CFR 2010a) limits the release of radioactivity from a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facility to that which would cause 10 millirem per year (mrem/yr) effective dose equivalent to any member of the public. This limit does not include radiation unrelated to NNSS activities. Unrelated doses could come from naturally occurring radioactive elements, from sources such as medically or commercially used radionuclides, or from sources outside of the United States, such as the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan in 2011. NNSA/NFO demonstrates compliance with the NESHAP limit by using environmental measurements of radionuclide air concentrations at critical receptor locations on the NNSS (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] and DOE 1995). This method was approved by the EPA for use on the NNSS in 2001 (EPA 2001a) and has been the sole method used since 2005. Six locations on the NNSS have been established to act as critical receptor locations to demonstrate compliance with the NESHAP limit. These locations are actually pseudo-critical receptor stations, because no member of the public actually resides at these onsite locations. Compliance is demonstrated if the measured annual average concentration is less than the NESHAP Concentration Levels (CLs) for Environmental Compliance listed in 40 CFR 61, Appendix E, Table 2 (CFR 2010a). For multiple radionuclides, compliance is demonstrated when the sum of the fractions (determined by dividing each radionuclide’s concentration by its CL and then adding the fractions together) is less than 1.0. In 2013, the potential dose from radiological emissions to air, resulting from both current and past NNSS activities, was well below the 10 mrem/yr dose limit. Air sampling data collected at all air monitoring stations had average concentrations of radioactivity that were a fraction of the CL values. Concentrations ranged from 0.2% to a maximum of 10.1% of the allowed NESHAP limit. Because the nearest member of the public resides about 9 kilometers from potential release points on the NNSS, dose to the public would be only a small fraction of the value measured on the NNSS. The potential dose to the public from NLVF emissions was also very low at 0.000011 mrem/yr, more than 900,000 times lower than the 10 mrem/yr limit.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

2012 Update to the Site Discharge Pollution Prevention Plan, Rev. 1: Sandia/Mortandad Watershed Receiving Waters: Sandia Canyon, Cañada del Buey, Mortandad Canyon, and Ten-Site Canyon (Vol. 2)

Two historical industrial activity areas are associated with S001, S-SMA-0.25: Sites 03-013(a) and 03-052(f). Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 03-013(a) is a 1500-ft-long corrugated metal pipe (CMP) storm drain that served building 03-0038. The storm drain ran underground around building 03-0038, east along the south side of the Otowi Building (building 03-0261) and connected to four other storm drains before daylighting 100 ft east of the Otowi Building where it became an open concrete- and rock-lined ditch. The open drain continued past transportable office buildings (buildings 03-1616 and 03-1617) and passed beneath streets and sidewalks to a point northeast of the Oppenheimer Study Center (building 03-0207) where it discharged to the SWMU 03-052(f) outfall before draining into Sandia Canyon. Most of the CMP associated with SWMU 03-013(a) was removed in 2004 to accommodate the construction of the National Security Science Building (03-1400) and a new parking structure (03-1402) east of the Otowi Building. The CMP was managed as nonhazardous/nonradioactive industrial waste. Inspection of the drainline trench showed no evidence of a release from the drainpipe. A new storm drainline was installed west of SWMU 03-052(f) to manage storm water runoff from the new parking structure. The new storm drain discharges to SWMU 03-052(f). Potential contaminants associated with industrial materials historically managed at this Site are metals and petroleum products. SWMU 03-052(f) is a formerly permitted outfall (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] 03A023) that received wastewater from floor drains [Area of Concern (AOC) 03-013(b)], sinks, water fountains, and a storm drain [SWMU 03-013(a)], which served building 03-0038 until 1987 when the drains in building 03-0038 were rerouted to the Technical Area 03 (TA-03) sanitary sewer system. Stoddard solvents, dry acid, and caustic materials from the maintenance shop were discarded through sinks and floor drains to this outfall. Spent paint solvents and cutting oils contaminated with machined beryllium particles may also have been released to the floor drains during the 1960s and 1970s. In addition, cooling water for welding torches was discharged directly to the drains. The first spill was approximately 200 gal. of a water-waste oil mixture that was discharged when an automatic compressor blowdown mechanism failed. A second spill from a ruptured air-compressor oil line resulted in the release of approximately 1 qt of compressor oil to the drain. This spill produced an oily sheen on the surface of the water at the SWMU 03-052(f) outfall. A third spill occurred when approximately 15 gal. of diesel fuel was released from a ruptured truck fuel line into the utilities construction trench between buildings 03-1793 and 03-1794. On the same day, a clay sewer pipe in the utility trench broke, releasing approximately 2000 gal. of wastewater into the excavation. A sump was used to remove the wastewater from the excavation, and the wastewater was discharged to SWMU 03-052(f). The diesel-contaminated asphalt and soil were removed and disposed of. Runoff from parking lots and the surrounding areas also discharges to the outfall. Outfall 03A023 was removed from the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit on July 11, 1997. Potential contaminants associated with industrial materials historically managed at this Site are volatile organic solvents, petroleum products, and metals included in discharges from the maintenance contractor’s shop in building 03-38 and three reported petroleum hydrocarbon spills.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗