Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering, Volume I and II

96 AIR POLLUTION SOURCES

TABLE 13

Sources and Health Effects of Some Prominent Heavy Metals a

Element Sources Health Effects

Mercury Coal electrical batteries, other industrial Kidney damage, nerve damage and death

Lead Auto exhaust, paints Brain, liver, and kidney damage; convulsions, behavioral

disorders, death

Cadmium Coal, zinc mining, water mains and pipes, tobacco smoke,

burning plastics

High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, interferes with

zinc and cooper metabolism

Nickel Diesel oil, residual oil, coal, tobacco smoke, chemicals and

catalysts, steel and nonferrous alloys

Lung cancer

Arsenic Coal, petroleum, detergents, pesticides, mine tailings Hazard disputed, may cause cancer

Germanium Coal Little innate toxicity

Vanadium Petroleum (Venezuela, Iran), chemicals and catalysts, steel

and nonferrous alloys

Probably no hazard at current levels

Antimony Industry Shortened life span in rats

a Data from Chemical & Engineering News 49 (July 19, 1971), 29–33, and other sources.

Part 1. Pollutant Emissions (continued)

Pollutant types Sources and abundance Abatement and control

3) From coal combustion: use of

electrostatic precipitators.

4) From manufacture of lead

additives for gasoline: Use of

water scrubbers and bag house

filters.

5) From transfers and transpor-

tation of lead gasoline: Use of

vapor recovery systems;

reduction or elimination of lead

in gasoline.

6) From use of pesticide: Use of

pesticides which do not contain

lead; improved techniques of

pesticide use.

7) From incineration of refuse:

Use of conventional air

cleaning techniques or sanitary

land fills instead of incinerators.

c. NICKEL: A grayish white metallic element—hard,

rough partially magnetic resistant to oxidation and

corrosion. Nickel forms a variety of alloys with other

metals. It is very important in making steel alloys and

particularly stainless steel. Major pollutants are nickel

dust and vapours.

Major sources: The processing of nickel to

produce various alloys is the major source of

emissions: See Table 16: This includes:

1) PLANT producing nickel alloys (including

stainless steel) contains anywhere between

3–65% nickel in the alloys.

2) Nickel plating facilities via, electro-plating,

electroless plating (chemical plating),

electoforming (nickel can on mold) etc.

a) Use of conventional air

cleaning devices:

1) Bag filters

2) Precipitators

3) Scrubbers

b) Decomposition of gaseous

emissions at high temperature

forming nickel (which can be

removed as a particulate) and

carbon monoxide.

c) No control methods currently

available for vehicle engine

exhausts.

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