Dispersion of SO 2 emissions in a gas refinery by AERMOD modeling and human health risk: a case study in the Middle East

• Published in: International journal of environmental health research 2024-02, Vol.34 (2), p.1227-1240
• Main Authors: Eslami Doost, Zahra, Dehghani, Samaneh, Samaei, Mohammad Reza, Arabzadeh, Morteza, Baghapour, Mohammad Ali, Hashemi, Hassan, Oskoei, Vahide, Mohammadpour, Amin, De Marcoc, Alessandra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0960-3123; 1369-1619
• DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2023.2165044

This study aimed to model the dispersion of emitted SO from stacks and flares in one of the largest Gas Refinery Companies in the Middle East . Pollutant emission coefficients and air pollution's various sources contributions were determined based on the collected data after measuring SO concentrations in a fixed monitoring station (stack) and across different distances from it for a year. The SO release pattern was simulated, and annual pollutant concentrations in average periods of 1-hr and 24-hr were predicted using AERMOD 8.9.0. The maximum simulated ambient SO were 27,447 and 4592 µg/m in average sampling times of 1-hr and 24-hr, respectively. The hazard quotient of 95% percentile for children, teenagers, and adults due to inhalation of SO was more than one.The maximum concentration of SO2 in the 1-hour and 24-hour period in the study area was higher than the amount introduced by Iran's clean air standard and the WHO standard.