Characterizing Emissions from Agricultural Diesel Pumps in the Terai Region of Nepal
Diesel irrigation pumps are a source of air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). The environmental implications of these pumps are often overlooked and very rarely addressed in the IGP. Few studies in the past have estimated the amount of diesel consumed by irrigation pumps in the IGP or othe...
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MDPI AG
2019-02-01
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Series: | Atmosphere |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/2/56 |
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author | Sagar Adhikari Parth Sarathi Mahapatra Vikrant Sapkota Siva Praveen Puppala |
author_facet | Sagar Adhikari Parth Sarathi Mahapatra Vikrant Sapkota Siva Praveen Puppala |
author_sort | Sagar Adhikari |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Diesel irrigation pumps are a source of air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). The environmental implications of these pumps are often overlooked and very rarely addressed in the IGP. Few studies in the past have estimated the amount of diesel consumed by irrigation pumps in the IGP or other proxy variables to estimate the amount of emissions. A considerable amount of uncertainty remains in calculating emission factors (EF) using real-time measurements. We measured pollutants from nine diesel irrigation pumps in the southern ‘Terai’ belt of Nepal. Fuel-based EF were then estimated using the carbon mass balance method. The average EF for fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>), CO<sub>2</sub>, CO and black carbon (BC) were found to be 22.11 ± 3.71, 2218.10 ± 26.8, 275 ± 17.18 and 2.54 ± 0.71 g/L, respectively. Depending upon the pump characteristics (age, design, make, hours used, etc.) and fuel mixtures, the EF of PM<sub>2.5</sub>, BC and CO had larger inter-variability. This study provides estimates for an under-represented source of ambient air pollution which will assist in the development of better emission inventories and informed policy making. |
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format | Article |
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institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2073-4433 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-10T19:50:31Z |
publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
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series | Atmosphere |
spelling | doaj.art-53999366bb05459db38063d8334da2392022-12-22T01:35:48ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332019-02-011025610.3390/atmos10020056atmos10020056Characterizing Emissions from Agricultural Diesel Pumps in the Terai Region of NepalSagar Adhikari0Parth Sarathi Mahapatra1Vikrant Sapkota2Siva Praveen Puppala3International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, NepalInternational Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, NepalInternational Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, NepalInternational Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, NepalDiesel irrigation pumps are a source of air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). The environmental implications of these pumps are often overlooked and very rarely addressed in the IGP. Few studies in the past have estimated the amount of diesel consumed by irrigation pumps in the IGP or other proxy variables to estimate the amount of emissions. A considerable amount of uncertainty remains in calculating emission factors (EF) using real-time measurements. We measured pollutants from nine diesel irrigation pumps in the southern ‘Terai’ belt of Nepal. Fuel-based EF were then estimated using the carbon mass balance method. The average EF for fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>), CO<sub>2</sub>, CO and black carbon (BC) were found to be 22.11 ± 3.71, 2218.10 ± 26.8, 275 ± 17.18 and 2.54 ± 0.71 g/L, respectively. Depending upon the pump characteristics (age, design, make, hours used, etc.) and fuel mixtures, the EF of PM<sub>2.5</sub>, BC and CO had larger inter-variability. This study provides estimates for an under-represented source of ambient air pollution which will assist in the development of better emission inventories and informed policy making.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/2/56emission factordiesel irrigation pumpparticulate matterblack carbon |
spellingShingle | Sagar Adhikari Parth Sarathi Mahapatra Vikrant Sapkota Siva Praveen Puppala Characterizing Emissions from Agricultural Diesel Pumps in the Terai Region of Nepal Atmosphere emission factor diesel irrigation pump particulate matter black carbon |
title | Characterizing Emissions from Agricultural Diesel Pumps in the Terai Region of Nepal |
title_full | Characterizing Emissions from Agricultural Diesel Pumps in the Terai Region of Nepal |
title_fullStr | Characterizing Emissions from Agricultural Diesel Pumps in the Terai Region of Nepal |
title_full_unstemmed | Characterizing Emissions from Agricultural Diesel Pumps in the Terai Region of Nepal |
title_short | Characterizing Emissions from Agricultural Diesel Pumps in the Terai Region of Nepal |
title_sort | characterizing emissions from agricultural diesel pumps in the terai region of nepal |
topic | emission factor diesel irrigation pump particulate matter black carbon |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/2/56 |
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