Air Quality and Ecological Impacts v 9

This work reviews the characterization of air quality as it pertains to specific emission sources and their environmental effect. Since emissions from multiple sources impact the same location, a multi-disciplinary approach is needed to relate atmospheric processes to terrestrial vegetation. As global industrial expansions continue, air quality is no longer governed by isolated point sources (e.g., a single coal-fired power plant), but by source clusters or complexes. Although air quality regulations are designed to protect the environment against possible adverse effects, any mitigative measures through emission control must account for the specific source(s) of concern. This is complicated by the fact that multiple sources often emit the same air pollutant of environmental concern (for example, sulphur dioxide). To address these issues, atmospheric receptor models have been developed and are continually being improved. Receptor models allow the quantification of the contribution of individual air pollutant emission sources to the air quality at a given location. The benefits of any air quality control measures based on receptor modelling must be verified by assessing changes or betterment in environmental impacts. Until now, such an approach has not been well integrated and practiced. This book provides the needed concepts and methods in conducting the studies to establish cause and effect relationships under ambient conditions, which is valuable not only to industrialized nations, but also to the policy makers in developing nations.