Area source (pollution)
Encyclopedia
Area sources are sources of pollution which emit a substance or radiation from a specified area.
are air pollutant emission sources which operate within a certain locale. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has categorized 70 different categories of air pollution area source. Locomotives operating on certain linear tracks are examples of a line source
, whereas locomotives operating within a railyard are an example of an area source of pollution. Other area sources of air pollution are:
manifestations of an area source include:
In the 1950s or earlier hydrology transport models appeared to calculate surface runoff
, primarily for flood forecasting. Beginning in the early 1970s computer models were developed to analyze the transport of runoff carrying water pollutants, which considered dissolution
rates of various chemicals, infiltration
into soils and ultimate pollutant load delivered to receiving waters
. One of the earliest models addressing chemical dissolution in runoff and resulting transport was developed in the early 1970s by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
. This computer model formed the basis of much of the regulatory framework that led to strategies for water pollution control via land use
and chemical handling techniques.
Air pollution
For example, area sources of air pollutionAir pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
are air pollutant emission sources which operate within a certain locale. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has categorized 70 different categories of air pollution area source. Locomotives operating on certain linear tracks are examples of a line source
Line source
A line source is a source of air, noise, water contamination or electromagnetic radiation that emanates from a linear geometry...
, whereas locomotives operating within a railyard are an example of an area source of pollution. Other area sources of air pollution are:
- Multiple flue gas stacks within a single industrial plant
- Open burning and forest firesWildfireA wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
- EvaporationEvaporationEvaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs only on the surface of a liquid. The other type of vaporization is boiling, which, instead, occurs on the entire mass of the liquid....
losses from large spills of volatile liquidsVolatility (chemistry)In chemistry and physics, volatility is the tendency of a substance to vaporize. Volatility is directly related to a substance's vapor pressure. At a given temperature, a substance with higher vapor pressure vaporizes more readily than a substance with a lower vapor pressure.The term is primarily...
Water pollution
Water pollutionWater pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....
manifestations of an area source include:
- Surface runoffSurface runoffSurface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
of fertilizer or pesticide from rainfall or irrigation water - Widespread failure of septic fields
- Dispersal of an oil spill in a major water body
In the 1950s or earlier hydrology transport models appeared to calculate surface runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
, primarily for flood forecasting. Beginning in the early 1970s computer models were developed to analyze the transport of runoff carrying water pollutants, which considered dissolution
Solvation
Solvation, also sometimes called dissolution, is the process of attraction and association of molecules of a solvent with molecules or ions of a solute...
rates of various chemicals, infiltration
Infiltration (hydrology)
Infiltration is the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil. Infiltration rate in soil science is a measure of the rate at which soil is able to absorb rainfall or irrigation. It is measured in inches per hour or millimeters per hour. The rate decreases as the soil becomes...
into soils and ultimate pollutant load delivered to receiving waters
Surface water
Surface water is water collecting on the ground or in a stream, river, lake, wetland, or ocean; it is related to water collecting as groundwater or atmospheric water....
. One of the earliest models addressing chemical dissolution in runoff and resulting transport was developed in the early 1970s by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
. This computer model formed the basis of much of the regulatory framework that led to strategies for water pollution control via land use
Land use
Land use is the human use of land. Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements. It has also been defined as "the arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover...
and chemical handling techniques.
See also
- Air pollution dispersion terminologyAir pollution dispersion terminologyAir pollution dispersion terminology includes the words and technical terms that have a special meaning to those who work in the field of air pollution dispersion modeling...
- List of atmospheric dispersion models
- Line sourceLine sourceA line source is a source of air, noise, water contamination or electromagnetic radiation that emanates from a linear geometry...
- Point source (pollution)Point source (pollution)A point source of pollution is a single identifiable localized source of air, water, thermal, noise or light pollution. A point source has negligible extent, distinguishing it from other pollution source geometries. The sources are called point sources because in mathematical modeling, they can be...
- Volume source (pollution)Volume source (pollution)A Volume source of pollution is a three-dimensional source of pollutant emissions. Essentially, it is an area source with a third dimension.Examples of a volume source of pollution are:...