EAP - Oil Shale publications

PUBLISHED
SINCE 1984

Oil Shale

ISSN 1736-7492 (Electronic)
ISSN 0208-189X (Print)

Open Access Journal

CiteScore: 2.6

Impact Factor (2022): 1.9

THE IMPACT OF METEOROLOGICAL PARAMETERS ON SULPHURIC AIR POLLUTION IN KOHTLA-JÄRVE; pp. 337–352

PDF | doi: 10.3176/oil.2011.2.07

Authors

J. PAVLENKOVA, Marko Kaasik, E.-S. KERNER, A. LOOT, R. OTS

Abstract

The hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) and sulphur dioxide (SO₂) data from Kalevi air quality monitoring station in the town of Kohtla-Järve, the centre of Estonian oil shale processing industry, and some episodic measurements from a nearby location, are analysed in view of wind direction and other meteorological parameters governing the atmospheric dispersion. Unlike in a typical urban airshed, sulphur compounds in Kohtla-Järve constitute a major air quality problem, H₂S sometimes exceeding the permitted limit value. At Kalevi monitoring station two narrow wind direction intervals are identified as related to high concentrations. According to time-dependent pattern and wind direction analysis at different heights, these two peaks are most likely originating from the oil-shale retorting plant and the Kohtla-Järve municipal wastewater treatment plant. Due to active reconstructions of these plants, both concentration peaks have been decreased during recent years.

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