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a presentation about coal fired power stations

and its effects on humans and the environment

By: Melanie Nguyen, Dale Akinrefon, Desiree Lash, Sophia JeanLouis, Lourdia Alcide, and Andres Rodriguez

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Coal Fired Power Stations

type of power station burning coal to produce electricity Converts heat energy of combustion into mechanical energy, then into

electrical energy

Waste heat energy is released

Flue gas from combustion of the fossil fuels is discharged to the air Gas contains carbon dioxide, water vapor, as well as substances such as

elemental nitrogen, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, mercury, traces ofother metals, and, for coal-fired plants, fly ash.

Fossil fueled power stations are major emitters of CO2, a greenhouse gas(GHG) which according to a consensus opinion of scientific organizations isa contributor to global warming as it has been observed over the last 100years

Brown coal emits about 3 times as much CO2 as natural gas

Black coal emits about twice as much CO2 per unit of electric energy.

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Coal

Coal-fired power plants provideabout 54% of consumedelectricity in the United States.This is the Castle Gate Plantnear Helper, Utah.

Big Bend Coal Power Station inApollo Beach, Florida in theUnited States.

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Coal

Coal generates 54% ofelectricity in the U.S.

Single biggest airpollutant

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Environmental Impacts

Acid Rain

Air Pollution

Global Warming

Emission of gases- carbon dioxide, nitrogenoxides, and sulfur dioxide

Particulate matter

Radioactive trace elements Water and air contamination by coal ash

Mercury contamination

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When was the problem discovered?

Not identified in the literature.

Clean Air Task Force study

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Epidemiology

Expensive energy prices

Increasing size of the population

Employment

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Mortality and Morbidity

Healthy people and temporary symptoms: such as irritation of the eyes,nose, and throat; coughing; phlegm; chest tightness; and shortness ofbreath

People with lung disease: may not be able to breathe as deeply or asvigorously as normal, and you may experience coughing, chest discomfort,wheezing, shortness of breath, and unusual fatigue

May exacerbate asthma People with heart disease, particle exposure can cause serious problems

in a short period of time even heart attacks with no warning signs:Asymptomatic, or symptoms such as chest pain or tightness, palpitations,shortness of breath, or unusual fatigue may indicate a serious problem.

24,000 people a year die prematurely because of pollution from coal-firedpower plants. And every year 38,000 heart attacks, 12,000 hospitaladmissions and an additional 550,000 asthma attacks result from powerplant pollution.

(American Lung Association, 2011)

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Contributing factors

Many ways air pollution can occur Auto exhaust fumes

emit large amounts of carbon monoxide (CO) into the atmosphere

Formaldehyde found in many products that we use By-product of combustion and can be found both indoors and outdoors

Found in pressed woods, plywoods, gas stove, preservatives in paints

Polycyclic hydrocarbons found in shampoo and lotion Waste disposal emit increased level of Methane

Reacts with other chemical in the air

Dispersal of pollen grains, wind erosion, emissions from radioactive decaytaking place inside the earth's crust, burning of fossil fuels and chemicals suchas fungicides, insecticides.

Volcanic eruptions, gases emitted from animal waste, forest fires and dust

Large amount of sulfur dioxide from volcanic eruption Stationary sources such as factories and furnaces release carbon dioxide (CO2)

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Exposure Pathways

Air pollution can occurs in many ways by coal power plant Coal combustion releases nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter (PM), mercury, and dozens of other substances known to

be hazardous to human health. Coal power plants emits these chemicals in the air Nitrogen oxides (NOx) reacts with volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight to produce ground-level ozone Sulfur dioxide (SO2). formation of microscopic particles (particulate pollution or soot) that can be inhaled deep into the lungs and aggravate respiratory

conditions Mercury (HG). Coal contains trace amounts of mercury that, when burned, enter the environment and human bodies, effecting intellectual

development. Particulate matter (PM), also known as particle pollution tiny particles of fly ash and dust expelled from burning coal Smog chemical reaction of sunlight, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere Smog is an invisible gas made of three oxygen atoms Leaves airborne particle sin the air Black carbon or soot

Big component of air pollution around the world It is made up of tiny carbon particulate matter that contributes to global warming by absorbing heat in the atmosphere and reducing

albedo, the reflection of sunlight, when deposited on snow and ice.

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formaldehyde.htmlhttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Air_pollution_from_coal-fired_power_plants

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Population at Risk

Coal plants in PA

Coal plants concentration in USA

Which Risks Are of Greatest Concern? -Present illness

-Exposure

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Existing_coal_plants_in_Pennsylvaniahttp://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/3_90_022.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/3_90_022.htmlhttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Existing_coal_plants_in_Pennsylvania

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Population at Risk (cont.)

("Emissions of hazardous," 2011)

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Agencies in Action

Pollution preventionUS EPA Region 3 (3HS32)1650 Arch StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19103

Fax: 215-814-3274

Contact: Mindy LemionePhone: 215-814-2736

Contact: Mindee OsnoPhone: 215-814-2074

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Agencies in Action (cont.)

The Northwest Air Quality Communicators Group is a consortium of communicatorsfrom federal, state, provincial, tribal and local air quality and health organizations.

BC Ministry of Environment Air Benton Clean Air Agency Environment Canada Air EPA, Region 10 Air program

EPA, Region 10 FARR Lane Regional Air Protection Agency Nez Perce Tribe Air Quality Program Northwest Clean Air Agency Olympic Region Clean Air Agency OR Dept. of Environmental Quality

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Southwest Clean Air Agency Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency WA Department of Health WA Dept. of Ecology Air Program

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Prevention Measures

Primary Prevention

Clean Air Act

Control technology

Secondary Prevention

Screening

Tertiary Prevention

Treatment of disease processes

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Nursing Process Plan of Action

Energy Efficiency Clean/Renewable Energy

Wind

Water

Solar Carbon Capture Storage

(CCS)

Cracking

Assess Community

Plan

Gov. Agencies &

Professional assoc. Interventions

Education

Evaluation

Compliance Decreased CO2 in air

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Resources

Air pollution and health risk. (1991, March). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/3_90_022.html

Assabumrungrat, S., Phromprasit, J., Boonkrue, S., Kiatkittipong, W., Wiyaratn, W., Soottitantawat, A., & Powell, J.(2012). ENERGY EFFICIENCY EVALUATION FOR A GREEN POWER GENERATION PROCESS WITH MINIMUM EFFORTON CARBON DIOXIDE CAPTURE AND STORAGE. Chemical Engineering Communications, 199(12), 1642-1651.doi:10.1080/00986445.2012.680218

Emissions of hazardous air pollutants from coal-fired power plants. (2011, March 7). Retrieved fromhttp://www.lung.org/assets/documents/healthy-air/coal-fired-plant-hazards.pdf

Environmental Health & Engineering. (March 2011) http://www.lung.org/assets/documents/healthy-air/coal-fired-plant-hazards.pdf

Gohlke, J. M., Thomas, R., Woodward, A., Campbell-Lendrum, D., Prss-stn, A., Hales, S., & Portier, C. J. (2011).Estimating the Global Public Health Implications of Electricity and Coal Consumption. Environmental HealthPerspectives, 119(6), 821-826. doi:10.1289/ehp.l00224l

Johnsson, F., Kjarstad, J., & Odenberger, M. (2012). THE IMPORTACE OF CO2 CAPTURE AND STORAGEAGEOPOLITICAL DISCUSSION. Thermal Science, 16(3), 655-668. doi:10.2298/TSCI120608135J

Morrty, S. (n.d.). What causes of air pollution?. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5389740_causes-air-pollution.html

Pollution prevention. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/p2/

SourceWatch. (September 2012). Existing coal plants in Pennsylvania http://www.sourcewatch.org

"Toxic Air: The case for cleaning up coal-fired power plants." www.lung.org. American Lung Association, n.d. Web.12 Nov 2012.