- Email: [email protected]
Nitrogen oxides from coal combustion—environmental effects (1980)
Environment International, Vol. i0, pp. 341-344, 1984
0160-4120/84 $3.00 + .00 Copyright © 1985 Pergamon Press Ltd.
Printed in the USA. All rights reserved.
BOOK REVIEWS
In general, Nitrogen Oxides from Coal Combustion- Environmental Effects provides the reader with a
Nitrogen Oxides from Coal Combustion--Environmental Effects (1980), by Irene Smith. lEA Coal Research, London (97 pp., £5.00 lEA member countries; £10.00 non.member countries, plus £1.00 p. airmail outside Europe)
technically balanced and succinct description of our basic understanding of the role of nitrogen oxides in the environment and their effects on health and ecosystems. While by no means complete, this review directs the informed reader to primary source material, where more indepth discussion concerning nitrogen oxides may be found. The report also provides valuable insight into the global picture by comparing information regarding different nations, although these represent principally Western industrialized society. Some discussion of less industrialized nations would have been useful for comparison; however, information of this type is admittedly rather limited. The section on health effects concentrates on NO2 effects, but it does note the role of NO in reducing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. The potential health impacts of this nitrogenous species might have been underscored in the absence of extensive data. The main deficiency of the book, through no fault of the author, is the absence of information published since its release. New information on health effects, and confirmatory work on the detrimental effects of acid deposition, to mention just two areas, warrant updating this document. A revised edition of this synoptic work would be a welcome and valuable asset both to laymen and to students of environmental health and pollution.
Irene Smith's Nitrogen Oxides from Coal CombustionEnvironmentalEffects is a concise and well-documented review of the literature dealing with this important category of air pollutants. The main thrust of the book is to identify the contribution of coal combustion to existing levels of NOx relative to that of other emission sources, and to evaluate the effects of NOx on human health and the environment. NO, NO2, and N20 are the principal compounds addressed in this report, although other coexisting pollutants and other nitrogenous species also receive some attention. The report begins by examining the major reactions of nitrogen compounds in the atmosphere and biosphere, including their interactions with such other pollutants as 03, N-nitrosamines, and SO2. The contributions of natural vs. anthropogenic emissions are compared globally, nationally, and regionally. An indepth discussion of emissions from coal-burning power plants is focused on the effect of point sources on local ambient concentration. Environmental effects, which are grouped into four main topical areas, receive varying treatment. The section on health risks reviews controlled human and animal studies as well as investigations on indoor air pollution. The discussion of effects on vegetation covers leaf damage from nitrogen acids and also the interactions of NOx with SO4, Oa, and PAN. The section on ecological effects focuses on the problem of acid deposition. The fourth topic, effects on materials, is only tangentially addressed in this report. Air pollution regulations and standards and other relevant legislative activities are addressed in minor detail. The author concludes that global effects from NOx are small, and that NO~ from coal combustion produces less effects on humans than NO~ from other sources (i.e., transportation, indoor sources, and cigarette smoking). Effects on vegetation may be compounded by interactions with co-existing pollutants. Data on NO~ health effects are elusive and will require additional research.
Kenneth M. Novak Community Health Associate Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, New York 11973
Energy and Environmental Chemistry (1982) Vol. I, Fossil Fuels, and Vol. II, Acid Rain. L. H. Keith, ed. Ann Arbor Science Publishers, Ann Arbor, MI (Vol. 1,450 p.; Vol. 2, 304 pp.) These two volumes are collected papers from several national and international meetings sponsored by the American Chemical Society. They deal with direct and indirect environmental effects of energy production. Volume I, subtitled Fossil Fuels, treats four areas: (1) tar sands and oil shale, (2) oil spills at sea, (3) fugitive 341
0160-4120/84 $3.00 + .00 Copyright © 1985 Pergamon Press Ltd.
Printed in the USA. All rights reserved.
BOOK REVIEWS
In general, Nitrogen Oxides from Coal Combustion- Environmental Effects provides the reader with a
Nitrogen Oxides from Coal Combustion--Environmental Effects (1980), by Irene Smith. lEA Coal Research, London (97 pp., £5.00 lEA member countries; £10.00 non.member countries, plus £1.00 p. airmail outside Europe)
technically balanced and succinct description of our basic understanding of the role of nitrogen oxides in the environment and their effects on health and ecosystems. While by no means complete, this review directs the informed reader to primary source material, where more indepth discussion concerning nitrogen oxides may be found. The report also provides valuable insight into the global picture by comparing information regarding different nations, although these represent principally Western industrialized society. Some discussion of less industrialized nations would have been useful for comparison; however, information of this type is admittedly rather limited. The section on health effects concentrates on NO2 effects, but it does note the role of NO in reducing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. The potential health impacts of this nitrogenous species might have been underscored in the absence of extensive data. The main deficiency of the book, through no fault of the author, is the absence of information published since its release. New information on health effects, and confirmatory work on the detrimental effects of acid deposition, to mention just two areas, warrant updating this document. A revised edition of this synoptic work would be a welcome and valuable asset both to laymen and to students of environmental health and pollution.
Irene Smith's Nitrogen Oxides from Coal CombustionEnvironmentalEffects is a concise and well-documented review of the literature dealing with this important category of air pollutants. The main thrust of the book is to identify the contribution of coal combustion to existing levels of NOx relative to that of other emission sources, and to evaluate the effects of NOx on human health and the environment. NO, NO2, and N20 are the principal compounds addressed in this report, although other coexisting pollutants and other nitrogenous species also receive some attention. The report begins by examining the major reactions of nitrogen compounds in the atmosphere and biosphere, including their interactions with such other pollutants as 03, N-nitrosamines, and SO2. The contributions of natural vs. anthropogenic emissions are compared globally, nationally, and regionally. An indepth discussion of emissions from coal-burning power plants is focused on the effect of point sources on local ambient concentration. Environmental effects, which are grouped into four main topical areas, receive varying treatment. The section on health risks reviews controlled human and animal studies as well as investigations on indoor air pollution. The discussion of effects on vegetation covers leaf damage from nitrogen acids and also the interactions of NOx with SO4, Oa, and PAN. The section on ecological effects focuses on the problem of acid deposition. The fourth topic, effects on materials, is only tangentially addressed in this report. Air pollution regulations and standards and other relevant legislative activities are addressed in minor detail. The author concludes that global effects from NOx are small, and that NO~ from coal combustion produces less effects on humans than NO~ from other sources (i.e., transportation, indoor sources, and cigarette smoking). Effects on vegetation may be compounded by interactions with co-existing pollutants. Data on NO~ health effects are elusive and will require additional research.
Kenneth M. Novak Community Health Associate Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, New York 11973
Energy and Environmental Chemistry (1982) Vol. I, Fossil Fuels, and Vol. II, Acid Rain. L. H. Keith, ed. Ann Arbor Science Publishers, Ann Arbor, MI (Vol. 1,450 p.; Vol. 2, 304 pp.) These two volumes are collected papers from several national and international meetings sponsored by the American Chemical Society. They deal with direct and indirect environmental effects of energy production. Volume I, subtitled Fossil Fuels, treats four areas: (1) tar sands and oil shale, (2) oil spills at sea, (3) fugitive 341