Fugitive dust emissions

The dust suppressant method uses chemicals to (temporarily) strengthen bonds between soil particles and reduce fugitive dust emissions from inactive waste piles. Dust suppressant is expected to be 100% effective for a period of one to four weeks if the use of chemical is appropriate and undisturbed. Dust suppressants can also be used to control dust from work areas however, it is less effective and requires frequent reapplications. 

The water spraying method is most commonly used to reduce fugitive dusts emission by spraying water onto the exposed surface area, for example, along active travel paths, excavation areas, and truck boxes loaded with soils. 

Thompson, R. J. Visser, A. T. 2002. Benchmarking and management of fugitive dust emissions from surface-mine haul roads. Transactions of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, Section A Mining Technology, 111, A28-A34. 

The aim of this work is to estimate more accurately fugitive dust emissions due to wind erosion of exposed aggregate storage piles. The model constructed allows to quantify the temporal evolution in the mass flux when a bed of materials is exposed to a turbulent flow. It is based on the interaction between particles take-off and wall turbulence. The model allows as well to take into account materials having a wide size distribution, which is typical of materials such as coal or ore. Some experimental studies have shown a temporal decrease in the mass flux as the bed contains a wide range of particle sizes. This decrease, due to large particles, is predicted by the model. The rate depends on the flow velocity and the characteristics of the particles. 

Keywords Fugitive dust emissions Wind erosion Particle take-off Mass flux... 

The aims of the investigations presented in this paper are to estimate accurately fugitive dust emissions resulting from wind erosion. Thus, a model which allows to quantify emissions resulting from an exposed particle bed to a turbulent flow has been developed. Its originality is to take into account the wide particle size distribution of materials used, as example, at steelwork sites. Typically, the finer particles can have a size of about 10 xm and the larger running to centimetres. This characteristic is very important. In fact, Meunier [2] observed for various experimental tests carried... 

Fly ash settling ponds (which contain high concentrations of selenium) and hazardous waste sites where selenium compounds were disposed of in the past are potential sources of atmospheric selenium through fugitive dust emissions. Selenium emissions from these potential sources have not been quantified. 

Few new developments in concrete decontamination have taken place. Most equipment suppliers and developers have focused either on increasing productivity or improving means of controlling fugitive dust emissions. In situ reagent-based techniques have been applied in Europe, but not in the United States. (1)... 

Anthropogenic (man-made) releases of plutonium are the primary sources of plutonium to the atmosphere. Atmospheric testing, fires involving plutonium-containing materials, and routine releases due to normal activities at processing and generating plants are all potential sources of airborne plutonium. Resuspension of plutonium sorbed to contaminated surface soils via fugitive dust emissions is an indirect pathway by which plutonium may be re-released into the atmosphere (Harley 1980). 

Another source of soil contamination at Rocky Flats was the leakage of plutonium-contaminated oil. Plutonium was present as the dioxide when it was released. The dioxide was then adsorbed to the soil. Fugitive dust emissions caused plutonium-contaminated soil to be distributed away from the spill. Most of the plutonium remained on the surface, although some was released and migrated downward through the soil column (Little and Whicker 1978). 

In order to minimise fugitive dust emissions, the following techniques may be employed the covering of skips and vessels the avoidance of outdoor or uncovered stockpiles... 

Fugitive Dust Emissions. Fine dust contaminated with PCBs can be stirred up at spill and station sites during heavy construction and high winds. Because particles of smaller sizes travel much farther than those of larger sizes, it is not surprising to find PCBs in the Arctic as well as the Antarctic. PCB dust emissions are transported by air, water, human, animals, fish, birds, and microorganisms. Precipitation from air can also occur by rain, snow, vapor condensation, and dry fallout. 

Table 5.3 Estimated fugitive dust emissions from operations at a primary lead...

Increased environmental regulations affecting the gas and fugitive dust emissions from the smelter, as well as constraints on the wastes produced, such as smelter slags. 

The 2 billion tons of waste coal fines existing in impoundments and ponds is an environmental and safety problem for the coal mining and coal preparation community. Coal fines do not readily dewater, and will remain in suspension in water—the primary transport medium in the coal cleaning processes— for long times. If stocked out and dried, these fines become a fugitive dust emissions source. Morc likely, however, they will be handled by being placed behind the many dams in impoimdments... 

McKenna-Neuman, C., Boulton, J. W., and Sanderson, S. 2009. Wind tunnel simulation of environmental controls of fugitive dust emissions from mine tailings. Atmospheric Environment 43(3) 520-529. 

Roney, J.A. and White, B.R. 2006. Estimating fugitive dust emission rates using an environmental boundary layer wind tunnel. Atmospheric Environment 40(40) 7668-7685. 

Sanderson, R.S., McKenna-Neuman, C., and Boulton, J.W. 2009. Quantification and modelling of fugitive dust emissions from nickel slag. AGU/CGU Joint Assembly 2009. Toronto, Ontario. May 24, 2009. 

---