Anthropogenic Atmospheric Emissions of Antimony and Its Spatial Distribution Characteristics in China
- 20 March 2012
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Chemical Society (ACS) in Environmental Science & Technology
- Vol. 46 (7), 3973-3980
- https://doi.org/10.1021/es2041465
Abstract
An integrated inventory of atmospheric antimony (Sb) emissions from anthropogenic activities in China is compiled for the years 2005–2009. Emissions are estimated for all major anthropogenic sources for the first time. We estimate that the national emissions of antimony are 818 metric tons (t) in 2009, with the largest contribution from coal combustion at 61.8% of the total, while 26.7% of Sb is emitted from nonferrous metals smelting. Emissions are heaviest in Guizhou province, mainly due to small-scale combustion of high-Sb coal without emission control devices, and in Hunan province, where extensive smelting occurs. Furthermore, Sb emissions from 2188 large point sources and area sources are distributed within latitude/longitude-based grids with a resolution of 30 min × 30 min where Sb emissions are largely concentrated in highly populated and industrialized southwestern China, the east central region, and coastal areas. The uncertainties in our bottom-up inventory are quantified as −11% to 40% by Monte Carlo simulation. We recommend continuous field testing of coal combustors and smelters in China to improve the accuracy of these estimates.Keywords
This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- Source origin of trace elements in PM from regional background, urban and industrial sites of SpainAtmospheric Environment, 2007
- Increasing atmospheric antimony contamination in the northern hemisphere: snow and ice evidence from Devon Island, Arctic CanadaJournal of Environmental Monitoring, 2005
- Antimony: a traffic-related element in the atmosphere of Buenos Aires, ArgentinaJournal of Environmental Monitoring, 2005
- Metal emissions from road traffic and the influence of resuspension—results from two tunnel studiesAtmospheric Environment, 2002
- An assessment of global and regional emissions of trace metals to the atmosphere from anthropogenic sources worldwideEnvironmental Reviews, 2001
- Antimony in the environment: a review focused on natural watersEarth-Science Reviews, 2001
- Fate of antimony in municipal solid waste incinerationChemosphere, 2001
- Evidence of large scale heavy-metal contamination of natural surface soils in Norway from long-range atmospheric transportScience of The Total Environment, 1997
- Environmental Impact of Trace Element Emissions from Geothermal Power PlantsArchives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 1997
- Quantitative assessment of worldwide contamination of air, water and soils by trace metalsNature, 1988