Europe pollution

In Europe, pollution from agriculture and hydraulic engineering (e.g. for navigation, water supply, hydroelectricity and flood control) are seen as the two main factors inhibiting the achievement of good ecological status of European river basins (Menedez et al., 2006). In addition, water is both an input to many industrial production processes and a sink for their pollutants and wastewater, while households also consume water and cause pollution with hazardous substances. Furthermore, other economic sectors... 

The study of the relations between diesel fuel composition and pollution caused by the diesel engine is the focus of considerable attention, particularly in Europe where this line of thought has been rapidly developing in recent years. 

Since SO2 and NO2 are criteria pollutants, their emissions are regulated. In addition, for the purposes of abating acid deposition in the United States, the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments require that nationwide SO2 and NO emissions be reduced by approximately 10 million and 2 million t/yr, respectively, by the year 2000. Reasons for these reductions are based on concerns which include acidification of lakes and streams, acidification of poorly buffered soils, and acid damage to materials. An additional major concern is that acid deposition is contributing to the die-back of forests at high elevations in the eastern United States and in Europe. 

The indirect hydration, also called the sulfuric acid process, practiced by the three U.S. domestic producers, was the only process used worldwide until ICI started up the first commercial direct hydration process in 1951. Both processes use propylene and water as raw materials. Early problems of high corrosion, high energy costs, and air pollution using the indirect process led to the development of the direct hydration process in Europe. However, a high purity propylene feedstock is required. In the indirect hydration process, C -feedstock streams from refinery off-gases containing only 40—60 wt % propylene are often used in the United States. 

Air. Studies have shown that 2500 years ago lead pollution caused by Greek and Roman silver smelters was a significant problem (4). Based on analysis of lake sediments and Greenland s ice, it was found that lead contamination from smelters in southern and central Europe was carried throughout the northern hemisphere. As long ago as the thirteenth century, air pollution has been linked to the burning of coal (4). The main concern was the smell from the sulfur in the coal and the effects of the soot. It was not until many years later that the effects of air pollution on people s health were discovered. 

Erom World War I to World War II the channel black process made most of the carbon black used worldwide for mbber and pigment appHcations. The last channel black plant in the United States was closed in 1976. Operations stiU exist and are even being expanded in Europe. The demise of channel black was caused by environmental problems, cost, smoke pollution, and the rapid development of od-fumace process grades that were equal or superior to channel black products particularly for use in synthetic mbber tires. 

The usage pattern in Europe and Japan is more dependent upon the automotive industry. However, with the recent concern about acid rain, the European and U.S. markets should show increased interest in fluorocarbon elastomers for pollution control appHcations. On the other hand, the Japanese market has a sizable outlet in electrical and general machinery manufacturing (eg, copiers). Petroleum appHcations are of Htfle interest outside the United States. 

During these two decades, almost every country in Europe, as well as Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, experienced serious air pollution in its larger cities. As a result, these countries were the first to enact national air pollution control legislation. By 1980, major national air pollution research centers had been set up at the Warren Springs Laboratory, Stevenage, England the Institut National de la Sante et de las Recherche Medicale at... 

As in Europe, air pollution research activity expanded tremendously in the United States during these three decades. The headquarters of federal research activity was at the Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center of the PHS in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the early years of the period and at the National Environmental Research Center in Triangle Park, North Carolina, at the end of the period. 

In a relatively small continental area such as Europe, there is not much difference between what would be considered the regional scale and the continental scale. However, on most other continents there would be a difference between what is considered regional and what continental. Perhaps of greatest concern on the continental scale is that the air pollution policies of a nation are likely to create impacts on neighboring nations. Acid rain in Scandanavia has been considered to have had impacts from Great Britain and Western Europe. Japan has considered that part of their air pollution problem, especially in the western part of the country, has origins in China and Korea. Cooperation in the examination of the North American acid rain problem has existed for a long time between Canada and the United States. 

From the results of the application of the EURMAP model to Europe, what pollutant and mechanism seem to cause the least pollution by a nation to itself ... 

H2S and HCN have likewise led to its use for scrubbing the off-gases of processes where these noxious pollutants are formed. Production statistics are rather sparse but the main production plants are in Europe, which produced some 11 000 tonnes pa in 1990 and the USA, where production is expected to exceed lOOOOtpa in 1995. Other major producers are in Japan ( 5000 tpa) and Canada (2700 tpa in 1990). The 1991 price for technical grade NaC102 in the USA was 2.65/kg. 

Rainfall, besides wetting the metal surface, can be beneficial in leaching otherwise deleterious soluble species and this can result in marked decreases in corrosion rate . A recent survey of rainfall analyses for Europe has shown that, with the exception of the UK, the acidity and sulphate content of rainfall markedly increased in the period 1956 to 1966, pH values having fallen by 0 05 to 0-10 units per ann. The exception of the UK may be due to anti-pollution measures introduced in this period. However, even in the UK a pH of 4 is not uncommon for rainfall in industrial areas. The significance of electrolyte solution pH will be discussed in the context of corrosion mechanisms. The remaining cases of electrolyte formation are those in which it exists in equilibrium with air at a relative humidity below 100%. 

For the noble metals used in oxidation, the loading is about 0.1 oz per car, with calls for a million ounces per year. The current world production rates of platinum, palladium, and rhodium are 1.9, 1.6, and 0.076 million ounces respectively the current U,S. demand for platinum, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium are 0.52, 0.72, 0.045, and 0.017 million ounces respectively (72, 73). The supply problem would double if NO reduction requires an equal amount of noble metal. Pollution conscious Japan has adopted a set of automobile emission rules that are the same as the U.S., and Western Europe may follow this creates a demand for new car catalysts approaching the U.S. total. The bulk of world production and potential new mines are in the Soviet Union and South Africa. The importation of these metals, assuming the current price of platinum at 155/oz and palladium at 78/oz, would pose a balance of payment problem. The recovery of platinum contained in spent catalysts delivered to the door of precious metal refiners should be above 95% the value of platinum in spent catalysts is greater than the value of lead in old batteries, and should provide a sufficient incentive for scavengers. 

The concept of a soap-LSDA detergent represents a simple solution to the quest for less polluting highly efficient laundry detergents [47,48]. If present worldwide price trends for petrochemicals, phosphates, and other builders continue to rise, the use of tallow or other fats and oils, which are replenishable agricultural products or byproducts, should become economically more attractive. Since the USD A research team initiated research on soap-LSDA detergents, the a-sulfonated fatty acid esters (MES) have become commercially available in the United States, Europe, and Japan. 

The main pollutants in Diesel exhausts are NOx and particulate matter (PM), mostly soot, with lesser amounts of CO and light hydrocarbons (CH). Table 12.1 shows the corresponding emission standards in Europe and in the USA. These standards are becoming progressively stricter and Table 12.2 shows the needed conversion efficiency of the electrochemically promoted unit in order to meet the EUR04 2005 standards. 

It has long been recognized that local environmental characteristics influence the rates of material corrosion. After two years of measurements at 39 sites in Europe and North America, significant relationships have been shown between corrosion rates of building materials and atmospheric pollutants( 5). While direction of exposure relative to weather and other factors such as frequency and duration of wetting significantly influence corrosion, Kucera (46) has shown that sulphur oxides are strongly correlated with deterioration of structural materials. 

One of the most significant Indices of air pollution potential Is provided by statistics on motor vehicle use. On a global scale the number of vehicles continues to rise although the rate of growth has slowed In North America and Europe as a whole, where vehicle densities are the highest In the world. Since 1979, the most rapid growth has occurred In Asia and South America where vehicle ownership has more than doubled (11). In the developing countries, as well as many others, these vehicles are not equipped with emission control devices. 

Less Information Is available for the other three pollutants shown In the tables. In Industrial countries In North America and Europe air quality monitoring Indicates that NOj levels may Increase risk to 15-20 percent of the residents. Exceedances of the shortterm guideline for CO appear relatively common In the reporting cities. Such exposures are likely to occur In locations with high traffic densities. With regard to Pb levels, approximately 20% of the cities have annual average lead concentration levels which exceed the WHO guideline. 

National initiatives in North America and Europe are designed to reduce pollution emissions from both stationary and mobile sources. Independently of whether they succeed in reducing pollutant loadings, the available evidence indicates that alterations in affected forests will continue. Obviously, no one knows what affected forests will be like in 50 years. There is little doubt that they will be different. And the sooner the anthropogenic causal factors - all of them - are reduced qualitatively and quantitatively, the better are the chances of retaining or regenerating forests that will have meaning and value for those who will want to use them. 

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