jesc.ac.cn Journal of Environmental Sciences 2011, 23(6) 931–940 Application of the AERMOD modeling system for environmental impact assessment of NO 2 emissions from a cement complex Kanyanee Seangkiatiyuth 1 , Vanisa Surapipith 2 , Kraichat Tantrakarnapa 3 , Anchaleeporn W. Lothongkum 1, * 1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok 10520, Thailand. E-mail: kwanchal@kmitl.ac.th 2. Air Quality and Noise Management Bureau, Pollution Control Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. E-mail: vanisa.s@pcd.go.th 3. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand Received 02 July 2010; revised 19 January 2011; accepted 18 February 2011 Abstract We applied the model of American Meteorological Society-Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model (AERMOD) as a tool for the analysis of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) emissions from a cement complex as a part of the environmental impact assessment. The dispersion of NO 2 from four cement plants within the selected cement complex were investigated both by measurement and AERMOD simulation in dry and wet seasons. Simulated values of NO 2 emissions were compared with those obtained during a 7-day continuous measurement campaign at 12 receptors. It was predicted that NO 2 concentration peaks were found more within 1 to 5 km, where the measurement and simulation were in good agreement, than at the receptors 5 km further away from the reference point. The Quantile- Quantile plots of NO 2 concentrations in dry season were mostly fitted to the middle line compared to those in wet season. This can be attributed to high NO 2 wet deposition. The results show that for both the measurement and the simulation using the AERMOD, NO 2 concentrations do not exceed the NO 2 concentration limit set by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of Thailand. This indicates that NO 2 emissions from the cement complex have no significant impact on nearby communities. It can be concluded that the AERMOD can provide useful information to identify high pollution impact areas for the EIA guidelines. Key words: AERMOD; environmental impact assessment; Gaussian model; air pollutants; NO 2 ; cement plant DOI: 10.1016/S1001-0742(10)60499-8 Citation: Seangkiatiyuth K, Surapipith V, Tantrakarnapa K, Lothongkum A W, 2011. Application of the AERMOD modeling system for environmental impact assessment of NO 2 emissions from a cement complex. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 23(6): 931– 940 Introduction Chronic exposure to air pollutants is a worldwide prob- lem. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that every year approximately 2.7 millions deaths can be attributed through air pollution. Over the past decades, long-term exposure of humans to nonlethal air pollutants and the effects of air pollutants on global and regional atmospheric cycles have been studied intensively. Espe- cially, ozone (O 3 ), total suspended particulates (TSP), particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead and other toxins have been the special focus of investigations due to their health impact (Kirk-Othmer, 2007). Thailand is a main grey cement manufacturer and ex- porter. The annual production of 46 Mega-tons of clinker and 56 Mega-tons of cement is met by 18 cement plants and 31 kilns that are operated by nine manufacturers (TC- * Corresponding author. E-mail: kwanchal@kmitl.ac.th MA, 2008). In the vicinity of the selected cement complex in this study, the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) can be attributed to two major sources, i.e., the cement burning process at high temperatures about 1500°C and emissions from vehicle transportation. These emissions are typically composed of a mixture of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) (Wark et al., 1998; Alsop, 2005). Generally, the amount of NOx in the flue gas from cement kilns increases with the combustion temperature, the main component being NO. At ambient temperature and excess oxygen, NO is subsequently oxidized to NO 2 which is a precursor to nitric acid. NO 2 is toxic by inhalation and causes irritation to human’s eye, nose and throat (Wark et al., 1998). It is a meso-scale pollutant with a lifetime in the range of 1–3 days (Perkins, 1974). NOx disperses widely and can react with O 3 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to secondary PM. It is an atmospheric pollutant of primary concern in industrial nations that has been targeted for reduction and control in the United States by long-