Air Pollution in Asia and Its Effect on Human Health

Author(s):  
Ahmet Ozan Gezerman ◽  
Burcu Didem Çorbacıoğlu

Although continuous efforts to monitor and mitigate air pollution are being made, it is still prevalent in most countries in the world. Major contributors include fossil fuel exhaust in metropolitan cities from industrial facilities and vehicular emissions. Use of renewable energy and natural gas have played a part in reducing air pollution; however, increasing populations, rampant urbanization, and industrialization, especially during winter months, have given rise to spikes in air pollution levels. Research shows that there is a close relationship between air pollution and mortality rates depending on respiration inadequacy. Studies show that contaminants increase respiratory afflictions in humans. Discontinuing use of fossil fuels, using appropriate burning techniques, and efficiency emission controls on vehicles have been proven to reduce air pollution levels.

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Made Dirgantara ◽  
Karelius Karelius ◽  
Marselin Devi Ariyanti, Sry Ayu K. Tamba

Abstrak – Biomassa merupakan salah satu energi terbarukan yang sangat mudah ditemui, ramah lingkungan dan cukup ekonomis. Keberadaan biomassa dapat dimaanfaatkan sebagai pengganti bahan bakar fosil, baik itu minyak bumi, gas alam maupun batu bara. Analisi diperlukan sebagai dasar biomassa sebagai energi seperti proksimat dan kalor. Analisis terpenting untuk menilai biomassa sebagai bahan bakar adalah nilai kalori atau higher heating value (HHV). HHV secara eksperimen diukur menggunakan bomb calorimeter, namun pengukuran ini kurang efektif, karena memerlukan waktu serta biaya yang tinggi. Penelitian mengenai prediksi HHV berdasarkan analisis proksimat telah dilakukan sehingga dapat mempermudah dan menghemat biaya yang diperlukan peneliti. Dalam makalah ini dibahas evaluasi persamaan untuk memprediksi HHV berdasarkan analisis proksimat pada biomassa berdasarkan data dari penelitian sebelumnya. Prediksi nilai HHV menggunakan lima persamaan yang dievaluasi dengan 25 data proksimat biomassa dari penelitian sebelumnya, kemudian dibandingkan berdasarkan nilai error untuk mendapatkan prediksi terbaik. Hasil analisis menunjukan, persamaan A terbaik di 7 biomassa, B di 6 biomassa, C di 6 biomassa, D di 5 biomassa dan E di 1 biomassa.Kata kunci: bahan bakar, biomassa, higher heating value, nilai error, proksimat  Abstract – Biomass is a renewable energy that is very easy to find, environmentally friendly, and quite economical. The existence of biomass can be used as a substitute for fossil fuels, both oil, natural gas, and coal. Analyzes are needed as a basis for biomass as energy such as proximate and heat. The most critical analysis to assess biomass as fuel is the calorific value or higher heating value (HHV). HHV is experimentally measured using a bomb calorimeter, but this measurement is less effective because it requires time and high costs. Research on the prediction of HHV based on proximate analysis has been carried out so that it can simplify and save costs needed by researchers. In this paper, the evaluation of equations is discussed to predict HHV based on proximate analysis on biomass-based on data from previous studies. HHV prediction values using five equations were evaluated with 25 proximate biomass data from previous studies, then compared based on error value to get the best predictions. The analysis shows that Equation A predicts best in 7 biomass, B in 6 biomass, C in 6 biomass, D in 5 biomass, and E in 1 biomass. Key words: fuel, biomass, higher heating value, error value, proximate 


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 5142
Author(s):  
Javier Menéndez ◽  
Jorge Loredo

The use of fossil fuels (coal, fuel, and natural gas) to generate electricity has been reduced in the European Union during the last few years, involving a significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions [...]


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huang Huanhai

The potential crisis of energy and the deterioration of ecological environment make the world's cumbersomedevelopment of renewable energy including new energy, including solar energy. Traditional energy in the coal, oil andnatural gas are evolved from ancient fossils, it is collectively referred to as fossil fuels. As the world's energy needscontinue to increase, fossil fuels will also be depleted, it is necessary to fi nd a new energy to replace the traditionalenergy. Solar energy is a clean renewable energy with mineral energy incomparable superiority. Modern society shouldbe a conservation-oriented society, and social life should also be a life-saving energy. At the same time, Premier WenJiabao also proposed on June 30, 2005 and stressed the need to speed up the construction of a conservation-orientedsociety. And solar energy as an inexhaustible new environmentally friendly energy has become the world's energyresearch work in the world an important issue. Is the world in the economic situation to take a simpler, economical,environmentally friendly and reliable building heating and heating energy-saving measures. This paper summarizes thecurrent global energy status, indicating the importance of solar power and prospects. Details of the various solar powergeneration methods and their advantages, and made a comparison of this power generation parameters. At the sametime pointed out that the diffi culties faced by solar power and solutions, as well as China's solar power of the favorableconditions and diffi culties. The future of China's solar energy made a prospect.


Originally, coal was the main source of energy. It remains so throughout the 18th century during the period of the rapid industry development. Later on, oil and naphtha began to be used as energy sources and their usage expanded especially in 19th century. A special feature of the above mentioned fossil fuels is their long creation period – requiring millennia. They are a result of rotting of different plant and animal kinds. In comparison to the period of their formation, the period of their utilization is far shorter. In accordance with a number of existing statistics about 2050 year it may be talked about a depletion of the liquid fossil fuels, also, the world coal supplies are considered to last within the next 200 years. Therefore, the development of nuclear power engineering is considered to be one of the alternatives to generate energy. Recently, the nuclear power energy generation has been denied in many countries because of the risks associated with its generation and because these risks have been confirmed by serious accidents throughout the World. The storage of worked nuclear waste is also a problem and risky. The renewable energy sources are another possibility to generate energy.


Energy Policy ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 105 ◽  
pp. 386-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agustin Alvarez-Herranz ◽  
Daniel Balsalobre-Lorente ◽  
Muhammad Shahbaz ◽  
José María Cantos

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Hanns F. Hartmann

The gases comprising the atmosphere are in dynamic balance both with the oceans and the dry land of the continents. The mechanisms which operate to keep the atmospheric content of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon and sulphur constant are now well defined. The capacity of the system to absorb excess gaseous impurities is adequate on a global basis with the exception of carbon dioxide.Air pollution is thus a local problem resulting from the overloading of a particular air space with contaminants. The greater part of air pollution is due to the combustion of fossil fuels. Ease of control and virtual freedom from sulphur give natural gas an advantage over liquid and solid fuels as far as air pollution control is concerned. Oxides of nitrogen are produced when natural gas is burned but in smaller quantities than in the combustion of other fuels. In high capacity industrial gas burners where oxides of nitrogen may be generated in large quantities control is easier and can achieve a lower level of oxides of nitrogen than is the case with other fuels.The large scale use of natural gas to solve the air pollution problems of Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and many other cities is proof of the usefulness of gas in this respect. Specialised applications include use in incinerators and industrial after burners. Advances in removal of impurities from fuels and of air pollutants from products of combustion combined with rising gas prices will in time displace gas from its preeminent position in air pollution control. It is, however, likely to retain its advantage in small installations and in dense urban areas. In public and private transport its use will probably remain limited.While technological developments in the distant future may eventually displace fossil fuels, gas will have a large share of the fuel market until that day comes and will contribute effectively to the control of air pollution.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-456
Author(s):  
Deepika Upadhyay ◽  
Geetanjali Purswani ◽  
Pooja Jain

The rapidly rising rate of urbanization, which is closely linked to economic growth, has exposed the world to several challenges such as inequality, environmental degradation, traffic congestion, infrastructural concerns and social conflicts. Therefore, urban sustainability has emerged as one of the most debatable discussions across the world. The existing network of transportation can no longer keep up with the growing demand in metropolitan cities. Short distance travel has become an unresolved issue for daily commuters. The case presents how MMVs have emerged as an alternative mode of transport for resolving issues of daily commuters regarding the first-mile connectivity, last-mile connectivity and short distance travel to reach their final destination. MMVs are basically light-weight vehicles which occupy less space on road. These vehicles include bicycles, e-bikes, skateboards, hoverboards and other battery-operated vehicles. The case narrates the journey of Yulu, a dockless bike-sharing venture which promoted the concept of green consumerism among the daily commuters at affordable rates. The venture initially started in the IT city of Bangalore and later expanded its operations to other cities such as Pune, Navi Mumbai, Gurugram and Bhubaneswar. The speciality of this venture is that it offers a sustainable solution to ever-increasing problems of traffic congestion and aggravating air pollution issues in metropolitan cities. Dilemma: How to offer a sustainable solution to the ever-increasing problem of traffic congestion and aggravating air pollution due to rising vehicular traffic? How to make short distance travel affordable and more convenient for daily commuters? Theory: Three pillars of sustainable development. Type of Case: Problem solving applied case. Protagonist: Present. Discussion and Case Questions: What strategies should be employed by the start-up to make it a more popular form of commute? How can the increasing rate of damage to the vehicles be brought down? How does organization structure and cluster management practices of Yulu help it to become more sustainable? How can the regulatory bodies and government promote and adopt such start-ups in their urban planning projects?


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Antonio Díaz-Pérez ◽  
Juan Carlos Serrano-Ruiz

Concerns about depleting fossil fuels and global warming effects are pushing our society to search for new renewable sources of energy with the potential to substitute coal, natural gas, and petroleum. In this sense, biomass, the only renewable source of carbon available on Earth, is the perfect replacement for petroleum in producing renewable fuels. The aviation sector is responsible for a significant fraction of greenhouse gas emissions, and two billion barrels of petroleum are being consumed annually to produce the jet fuels required to transport people and goods around the world. Governments are pushing directives to replace fossil fuel-derived jet fuels with those derived from biomass. The present mini review is aimed to summarize the main technologies available today for converting biomass into liquid hydrocarbon fuels with a molecular weight and structure suitable for being used as aviation fuels. Particular emphasis will be placed on those routes involving heterogeneous catalysts.


Author(s):  
Gerardo Gordillo ◽  
Kalyan Annamalai

The increase in air pollution caused by combustion of fossil fuels demands the exploration of renewable energy sources in order to mitigate the dependence on fossil fuels. Research includes the efforts to partially replace fossil fuels with renewable energy-sources in thermal conversion processes in order to reduce the emission of CO2. The animal wastes can be considered as biomass fuels since their properties are almost similar to ration fed to animals. Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) such as cattle feedlots and dairies produce a large amount of feedlot manure or feedlot biomass (FB) and dairy manure or dairy biomass (DB), which may lead to land, water, and air pollution if waste handling systems and storage and treatment structures are not properly managed. Both FB and DB are grouped under cattle manure or cattle biomass (CB). The concentrated production of low quality CB at these feeding operations can serve as a good feedstock for locally based gasification for syngas (CO and H2) production and subsequent use in combined heat and power generation. If thermal gasification technology is developed for DB fuels, the environmental impact from both animal feeding operations and fossil-fuels could be mitigated. The current paper presents experimental results obtained from adiabatic fixed-bed gasification of DB using a 10 KW fixed bed counter-flow gasifier and air-steam for partial oxidation. A mass spectrometer (ProLab Thermo ONIX) was used to analyze the gas composition continuously and at real time. The effect of the operating parameters studied, which includes equivalence ratio (1.6 < Φ < 6.4) and steam to fuel (S:F) ratio (0.4 < S:F < 0.8, on the yields of gases, char, and tar are discussed. Also, results from gasification of dairy biomass–ash blend (DB-Ash) and dairy biomass Wyoming coal blend (DB-WYC) is presented for comparison effects. In general, for the set of experiments performed using DB, the gas yield was 1.54 to 5.30 dry tar-free kg of gases per each kg of DAF DB gasified while the char production ranged from 0 to 0.18 kg of char per DAF kg of DB gasified. The average of tar concentration in gases leaving the gasifier was about 80 g/ SATP m3.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Burri

Abstract In spite of great progress in energy efficiency and in the development of renewable energy the world is likely to need significant amounts of fossil fuel throughout this century and beyond (the share of fossil fuels in the world mix has remained at about 86% of primary energy from 1990 to today). Gas, being the by far cleanest fossil fuel is the ideal bridging fuel to a world with predominantly renewable supplies. Thanks to the recent perfection of unconventional technologies there is no shortage of gas for this bridging function for at least the next 100-200 years. EASAC and several other European Institutions, notably the German Academy of Technical Sciences (acatech) have in the last few years carried out expert studies to assess the alleged environmental risks of unconventional hydrocarbon exploration and production. All these studies have, in agreement with other competent studies worldwide, come to the conclusion that there exists no scientific reason for a ban on hydraulic fracturing. With good practices, clear standards and adequate control the method causes no enhanced risks to the environment or the health of humans. Special attention has to be paid to the surface handling of drilling and fracking fluids. In Europe alone many thousand frac jobs have been carried out by the industry in the last 60 years without any severe accidents. The mishaps in North America have largely been the cause of unprofessional operations and human error. Especially in places with high air pollution, like many megacities of Asia, natural gas has to be seen as a unique chance to achieve a rapid improvement of the air quality and a significant reduction of CO2 emissions. This is also true for Europe where especially the use of domestic natural gas brings important benefits to the environment. The alternative to gas is in many regions of the world an increased consumption of coal, with all negative consequences.


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