Integrated assessment of brick kiln emission impacts on air quality

This paper presents monitoring results of daily brick kiln stack emission and the derived emission factors. Emission of individual air pollutant varied significantly during a firing batch (7 days) and between kilns. Average emission factors per 1,000 bricks were 6.35–12.3 kg of CO, 0.52–5.9 kg of SO2 and 0.64–1.4 kg of particulate matter (PM). PM emission size distribution in the stack plume was determined using a modified cascade impactor. Obtained emission factors and PM size distribution data were used in simulation study using the Industrial Source Complex Short-Term (ISCST3) dispersion model. The model performance was successfully evaluated for the local conditions using the simultaneous ambient monitoring data in 2006 and 2007. SO2 was the most critical pollutant, exceeding the hourly National Ambient Air Quality Standards over 63 km2 out of the 100-km2 modelled domain in the base case. Impacts of different emission scenarios on the ambient air quality (SO2, PM, CO, PM dry deposition flux) were assessed.