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Nitrogen emissions going up: Study
News:
- According to the ‘Indian Nitrogen Assessment’ nitrogen emissions in India has been increasing steadily.
Important Facts:
- The ‘Indian Nitrogen Assessment’ is the first ever quantitative assessment of reactive nitrogen in the Indian environment.
- According the study, nitrogen particles constitute the largest fraction of PM2.5
- 5 is a class of pollutant which is largely linked to cardiovascular and respiratory illness
- Major contributors to nitrogen emissions (in 2010)
- Agriculture: Largest contributor
- Burning of crop residues: 240 million kg of nitrogen oxides (NOx) 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
- Trend:
- NOx emissions grew 52% from 1991 to 2001 and 69% from 2001 to 2011
- The annual growth rate of NOx emissions from coal and diesel: 6.5%
- Annual emissions from sewage and fossil fuel burning increasing rapidly
- NOx emissions will surpass ammonia emissions and reach 8.8 tonnes by 2055
- 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
- Suggestions:
- Nutrient recovery and recycling from wastewater for agriculture. This is expected to decrease emissions from sewage up to 40%