Global anthropogenic atmospheric emission inventory of twelve typical hazardous trace elements, 1995-2012

摘要

Hazardous trace elements (HTEs) cannot be eliminated through microbial degradation in the environment, and moreover, high concentrations of HTEs do not only impose a long term and non-reversible burden on biogeochemical cycling in the ecosystem, but also threaten the health and life of animals and human beings. Taking account of the obvious differences on economic development and technology diffusion among countries, we construct the best available representation of time-varying emission factors of HTEs for primary anthropogenic activities in five regions of the world. Anthropogenic atmospheric emission inventory of twelve typical HTEs (Hg, As, Se, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Sb, Mn, Co, Cu and Zn) characterized by global region, long-term spans and high spatiotemporal resolutions are elaborately established by synthetically using emission factor methods and ArcGIS tools. Our results show that the global total emissions of twelve HTEs from primary anthropogenic sources have decreased from about 268262 tons in 1995-216893 tons in 2012, with an annual decline rate of 1%. For HTE emissions in 2012, coal combustion sources (CC, accounting for about 35-97% of Hg, Se, Cr, Mn, Co and Zn emissions), liquid fuel combustion (LFC, accounting for about 31% of Pb emission), nonferrous metal smelting (NFMS, being responsible for about 51-77% of As, Cd and Ni emissions) and brake wear (BW, contributing about 42-67% of Sb and Cu emissions) are identified as primary contribution sources for the corresponding HTEs. Asia is the highest HTEs emitting continent in 2012, accounting for approximately 59% of the global total emissions. Generally, China, Chile, India, Russia, the United States and South Africa represent the top countries with high HTE emissions from anthropogenic sources. Therein, China ranks as the world's largest country with HTE (except for Sb) emissions. In contrast, the U.S. is found as the country producing the largest Sb emission throughout the world. The top emission intensities of Hits are found in Eastern and Southern Asia and Eastern Europe.