Emissions of sulphur dioxide - atmospheric pollutant with health and climate impacts from power plants in India increased by over 60 per cent between 2005 and 2012, new data analysed by a NASA satellite found.
|Last Updated: Dec 29, 2013, 02:00 PM IST|Source: PTI
Washington: Emissions of sulphur dioxide - atmospheric pollutant with health and climate impacts from power plants in India increased by over 60 per cent between 2005 and 2012, new data analysed by a NASA satellite found.
In 2010, India surpassed the US as the world`s second highest emitter of SO2 after China, according to estimates previously published by Zifeng Lu of Argonne National Laboratory, and other scientists.
The same research showed that about half of India`s emissions came from the coal-fired power sector, NASA said.
Researchers have drafted a map that depicts sulphur dioxide concentrations in 2011-12 and 2005, and the relative size of power plants in India.
While some atmospheric SO2 is produced by volcanoes and other natural processes, a substantial amount is produced by human activities such as the combustion of fuels with sulphur- containing impurities and the smelting of metals such as copper and nickel, researchers said.
The gas contributes to the formation of acid rain and, in high concentrations, can cause respiratory problems. It is also a precursor for sulfate aerosols, a type of suspended particle that can affect the properties of clouds - an effect that is difficult to measure and remains a large point of uncertainty in climate models.
India`s Central Pollution Control Board noted in a 2012 report that the national mean concentration of sulphur dioxide had declined from 2001 to 2010, an estimate based on data from ground-based monitoring stations, researchers said.
However, most of the stations are located in urban areas, where regulations have indeed reduced pollution locally. Only some of the stations in India collect measurements near the source of power plant emissions, they said.
"We should know the air quality not only in populated cities, but also in industrial areas, where coal-fired power plants truly dominate national sulphur dioxide emissions," said Lu.
The new analysis of sulphur dioxide emissions comes two years after researchers developed a method to observe power plant emissions using measurements captured by an instrument on the Aura satellite.
The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measures ozone and other key air quality components - including sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide - and collects data over the same locations at the same time daily.
Using OMI`s eight-year record of observations, Lu and colleagues averaged measurements of sulphur from 65 power plants in 23 regions.
Over time, a pattern emerged that allowed scientists to distinguish nearly constant power plant emissions from more variable background concentrations of sulphur dioxide.
The study was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.