Ammonia emissions global

Table 8.5 Estimates of global ammonia emissions (Tg N year ) from different sources...

Beusen AHW, Bouwman AF, Heuberger PSC, Van Drecht G, Van der Hoek KW (2008) Bottom-up uncertainty estimates of global ammonia emissions from global agricultural production systems. Atmos Environ 42 6067-6077... 

Water is an obvious example of a substance that is global in scope. In this text, specific sources of pollution (stack emissions of sulfur dioxide) and small-scale natural processes (ammonia emissions from a feedlot) are considered only to the extent that they are significant in aggregate at the global scale. Further, the term "cycles" in the title should not imply that only closed, steady-state systems are considered, but should emphasize the importance of understanding where substances come from and what they are turned into. 

Human production of fixed nitrogen (NH3) is now estimated to be 140 TG N per year, an amount that is similar to non-anthropogenic sources (NSF 1999 Socolow 1999). The total annual commercial production of ammonia was estimated to result in atmospheric emission of ammonia representing approximately 1-5% of nature s global ammonia emission budget (ApSimon et al. 1987 Buijsman et al. 1987 Crutzen 1983 Galbally 1985 Rosswall 1981). 

TABLE 2.8 Estimated Annual Global Ammonia Emissions... 

ApSimon, H. M., et al. 1987. Ammonia emissions and their role in acid deposition. Atmospheric Environment 11-.1,939-, 9A6 Bouwman, A. F., et al. 1991. A global high-resolution emission inventory for ammonia. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 11 561-587. 

Ammonia volatilization from fertilizers is a function of the type of fertilizer, soil conditions, meteorological conditions-temperature, wind speed, precipita-tion-and fertilizer management. Table 8.6 shows the global use of nitrogenous fertilizers and the corresponding NH3 emissions based on empirical emission factors for different fertilizer types in temperate and tropical conditions (Bouwman... 

A minor part of mined fossil fuels is used as a raw material for the chemical industry (e.g., plastics, synthetic fabrics, carbon black, ammonia, and fertilizers). The major part supplies the energy needs for modem society. Fossil fuels supply about 86% of global primary energy consumption (39% oil, 24% coal, and 23% natural gas), providing energy for transportation, electricity generation, and industrial, commercial, and residential uses (El A 2001). Coal, and to a lesser extent oil, combustion leaves a significant amount of solid waste. The treatment of solid waste from fossil fuel combustion is treated in different chapters of this book. In this chapter we focus on air emissions of fossil fuel combustion, and their impact on human health and the environment. 

Nitrous oxide contributes severely to global warming and the depletion of ozone in the stratosphere (Crutzen 1981, Bouwman 1996). Almost 90% of the global atmospheric N2O is formed during the microbial transformation of nitrate (NO ) and ammonia (NH ) in soils and water. In OECD countries the agricultural contribution to N2O emissions is estimated at 58% (IPCC 2001). Soils fertilised with inorganic fertilisers and manure stores are seen as the largest sources (Chadwick et al. 1999, Brown ef al. 2002). 

Similarly, deposition of ammonium is not considered a new input, as this is largely recycled nitrogen volatilized from animal wastes within the same region or large watershed (Howarth et al., 1996 Boyer et al., 2002). Approximately 90% of ammonia in the global atmosphere comes from agricultural sources (Dentener Crutzen, 1994), with major emissions coming from animal wastes (manure) and lesser contributions from volatilization of fertilizers. Because ammonia is short-lived... 

The calculated values of deposition of atmospheric nitrogen to each region are described in detail for the global scale and for individual domains in various papers (Prospero et al, 1996 Dentener et al, 2000). The authors presented modeled estimates of wet and dry deposition of oxidized (NOy) and reduced (NH ) forms of nitrogen. The resolutions vary from 2.5° x 3.25° LoLa (Latitute-Longitude) for oxidized nitrogen to 10° X 10° FoFa for ammonia species. These deposition estimates are based on a complex model of nitrogen emissions, transformation in atmosphere, transport and deposition. 

Eee DS, Bouwman AF, Asman WAH, et al. 1997. Emissions of nitric oxide, nitrous oxide and ammonia from grasslands on a global scale. In Jarvis SC, Pain BE, eds. Gaseous nitrogen emissions from grasslands. New York, NY Cab International, 3 5 3 -3 7 L... 

A comparison of the various sources of NOx in Table 9-14 shows that the anthropogenic contribution is preponderant. The global production of NOx by lightning discharges is potentially the largest natural source. Its magnitude may be equivalent to that of human-made emissions, but a sufficiently precise quantification is presently not possible. The input of HN03 from the stratosphere and the oxidation of ammonia to NOx are comparatively minor sources. 

The only published estimate attempting to quantify NH3 emissions from a volcano appears to be that of Uematsu et al. (2004) for Mijahama volcano, in the south of Japan. They measured plume concentrations of NH3 up to 5 ppb ( 3 g m ) approximately 100 km downwind of the source, and reported an emission ratio of 1 ammonia 1 ammonium 1 sulfate 10 sulfur dioxide. Based on the estimate that NH , emissions were 15 % of SO2 emissions, they inferred an NH release of 340 kt NH3—N per year for the period since 2000. This is by far the largest NH3 point source emission ever reported, being similar to the total annual NH3 emission of the UK. Improved quantification of global volcanic NH3 and NH4 emissions must therefore be a priority (Sutton et al. 2008). 

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