Nitrogen emissions going up: Study

Nitrogen emissions going up: Study

News:

1. According to the ‘Indian Nitrogen Assessment’ nitrogen emissions in India has been increasing steadily.

Important Facts:

2. The ‘Indian Nitrogen Assessment’ is the first ever quantitative assessment of reactive nitrogen in the Indian environment.
3. According the study, nitrogen particles constitute the largest fraction of PM2.5
4. 5 is a class of pollutant which is largely linked to cardiovascular and respiratory illness
5. Major contributors to nitrogen emissions (in 2010)

• Agriculture: Largest contributor
• Burning of crop residues: 240 million kg of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and 7 million kg of nitrous oxide (N₂O) annually

Note: NOx a generic term for the nitrogen oxides that is most relevant for air pollution, namely nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide

• Agricultural soil: 70% of total N₂O emissions from India; major source- chemical fertilizers: 77% of total emissions from agriculture. Majority of chemical fertilizer used in cereal production, mainly rice and wheat:
• Wastewater 12%
• Residential and commercial activities: 6%
• Poultry industry: 0.415 tonnes in 2016

6. Trend:

• NO_x emissions grew 52% from 1991 to 2001 and 69% from 2001 to 2011
• The annual growth rate of NO_x emissions from coal and diesel: 6.5%
• Annual emissions from sewage and fossil fuel burning increasing rapidly
• NO_x emissions will surpass ammonia emissions and reach 8.8 tonnes by 2055

7. Ammonia emissions:

• India is the biggest source of ammonia emission
• 80% from cattle; however growth rate is slow at 1% due to stable cattle population

8. Suggestions:

• Nutrient recovery and recycling from wastewater for agriculture. This is expected to decrease emissions from sewage up to 40%