Full text
| |
| Author(s): |
Ana Paula Francisco
Total Authors: 1
|
| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP/CIR) |
| Defense date: | 2012-09-20 |
| Examining board members: |
João Vicente de Assunção;
Maria de Fatima Andrade;
Luciana Vanni Gatti
|
| Advisor: | João Vicente de Assunção |
| Abstract | |
Objective: To assess the influence of the sugarcane industry on the concentrations of tropospheric ozone in an urban area of Araraquara, SP. Method: Passive collections of ozone and VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) were undertaken, both during the sugarcane harvest as also in the period between harvests in 2011 2012, at 6 sites in the urban area, with 5-day exposure. The active collections of VOCs were undertaken in a central area during 6 non-consecutive days, using 24 collectors each day with 1 hours exposure each, thus yielding a total of 144 samples. Passive collections of VOCs were also made in 3 situations: during and after the burning of the cane plantations and in an urban area, each lasting one hour, and yielding a total of 9 samples. The assessment of the quality and quantity of the VOCs was made by gas chromatography, using as pre-treatment of the sample a thermal desorption and cryogenic concentration. The determination of the ozone was made by means of ion chromatography with the quantification of nitrate ions, a product of the reaction between the ozone and the chemical absorbent. Further, an estimate of the atmospheric emissions of the sugarcane industrys and urban activity was made to assess the participation of these sources of pollution in the emission of the precursors of ozone. Results: Average concentrations of ozone lay between 42.50±7.48 and 66.62±10.07 µg m-3, with an average of 52.93±12.39 µg m-3, during the cane harvest, and between 26.51±2.53 and 77.78±11.04 µg m-3, with an average of 52.61±25.65 µg m-3, in the period between harvests. The 11 VOCs identified in the urban atmosphere of Araraquara are all associated with the combustion of automotive vehicles, with the exception of d-limonene. Toluene and d-limonene were the most abundant VOCs, attaining maximum concentrations of 0.40 and 0.50 ppb, respectively. Various VOCs were detected in the samples collected in the cane plantations during the burning: ethene (51.59 per cent ), ethane (11.14 per cent ), propene (10.64 per cent ), butane (4.97 per cent ), toluene (3.39 per cent ) and propane (2.21 per cent ) being noteworthy. The ethene was used to characterize the emissions during the burning of the cane plantations, being found in the urban atmosphere in the proportion of 13.31 per cent . An estimate of the emission from the sugarcane agro-industry showed that the burning of the straw contributed with about 44 per cent of NMHC (Non-Methane HydroCarbons) and heavy vehicles, the burning of the bagasse and straw accounted for 27 per cent of the emission of NOx (nitrogen oxides). The emissions of the fleet of vehicles in Araraquara in 2011 contributed with 52.85 per cent and 65.55 per cent , respectively, to those of NMHC and NOx. Conclusions: The temporal variation of the ozone concentrations was of greater significance than the spatial variation, September being the month with the highest ozone average in the winter and February in the summer. The estimate of the emissions showed that both the urban sources and the sugar/alcohol agro-industrial segment are significant for the emission of precursors of ozone. The identification of the VOCs in the urban atmosphere of Araraquara demonstrated the influence of automotive sources, of the citric juice industry and of the burning of the sugarcane plantations. This study showed that the sugarcane industry is an important source of the emission of the precursors of ozone, and that it therefore contributes to the production of ozone in the urban area of Araraquara, SP (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 10/03093-1 - Contributions of sugar cane for the concentration of ozone in Araraquara, SP |
| Grantee: | Ana Paula Francisco |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Master |