Evaluating Human Exposure to Emission from Incineration Plant Using AERMOD Dispersion Modeling

Abstract

Background: The Air dispersion models are widely used to evaluate and predict the pollutants emissions from air pollution sources such as incinerators. This study attempts to predict the heavy metal pollutants dispersion emitted by an incineration plant impacting its surrounding area.

Methods: Several scenarios of emission rates coupled with the meteorological conditions were investigated using the AERMOD dispersion model.

Results: The maximum ground level concentration (GLC) of pollutants was within their respective air quality guidelines concentration and fall within the distance of 0.5 km from the stack.

Conclusion: The pollutant concentration decreases with distances from the incineration plant, which does not seem to contribute a significant human exposure problem to the residence living more than 1.5 km away.

Keywords: Pollution dispersion, AERMOD, Incinerator, Heavy metals