Fossil fuels sulphur emissions

Combustion processes are the most important source of air pollutants. Normal products of complete combustion of fossil fuel, e.g. coal, oil or natural gas, are carbon dioxide, water vapour and nitrogen. However, traces of sulphur and incomplete combustion result in emissions of carbon monoxide, sulphur oxides, oxides of nitrogen, unburned hydrocarbons and particulates. These are primary pollutants . Some may take part in reactions in the atmosphere producing secondary pollutants , e.g. photochemical smogs and acid mists. Escaping gas, or vapour, may... 

The air emissions of fossil fuel combustion are dispersed and diluted within the atmosphere, eventually falling or migrating to the surface of the Earth or ocean at various rates. Until recently, most attention was focused on the so-called primary pollutants of fossil fuel combustion that are harmful to human health oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, carbon monoxide, suspended particles (including soot), heavy metals, and products of incomplete combustion. These pollutants are most concentrated in urban or industrialized areas close to large or multiple sources. However, the primary pollutants may interact with each other, and with atmospheric constituents and sunlight, forming secondary pollutants that disperse far beyond the urban-... 

Hameed, S., and Dignon, J. (1992) Global emissions of nitrogen and sulphur oxides in fossil fuel combustion 1970—1986, J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc., 42, 159-163. 

Gaseous sulphur emissions coming from the refineries and their products, represent a risk for the environment (smoke and acid rain) and a health hazard. Also gas emissions containing sulphur from the combustion of fossil fuels inhibit the catalysts of exhaust systems and there is every reason to think that the level of 50 ppm fixed for 2005 for gasoline and gas oil may well only be a step towards levels closer to zero (2, 30). 

Historically most attention has focused on SO2, and its oxidised wet form, sulphuric acid. Overall emissions of SO2 in the Community have declined in the last ten years and this trend may well continue. Without further abatement measures, this decline is not likely to be more than 15% by 2000. Recent investigations in Europe and work in the USA suggest that NOx emissions, which arise from both stationary and vehicle fossil fuel combustion and which are on a rising trend, may also contribute significantly to plant and tree damage. In particular ozone, of which NOx chemical precursor, can, at certain concentrations under summer climate conditions, cause damage or yield effects to some trees and plants, possibly in conjunction with SO2 and NOx ... 

In the longer term, however, a resumption of economic growth will increase electricity demand and will probably lead to new orders for nuclear power plants even in countries where ordering has now been suspended, if the main problems associated with nuclear power can be resolved, i.e. construction times kept under control and thereby also costs. Under the same conditions the fact that in a few years old fossil fired plants and the first nuclear power plants have to be replaced may also bring new orders. There is also a growing awareness of the need to reduce emissions of sulphur oxides and other pollutants from fossil fuel plants, and one means of doing this is to include more nuclear plants in the energy mix. 

The acidity of rainfall is associated with carbon, sulphur and nitrogen oxidation, principally from industrial and fossil fuel combustion sources. These anthropogenic emissions may induce a disequilibrium in the atmosphere redox balance, a system more susceptible to these modifications because of its lower dimensions when compared to the hydrosphere and lithosphere (Stum et al., 1987). 

---