Evaluation of air pollution in Egyptian rural areas

The major objective of this study is to point out the air pollution sources in rural areas and to evaluate the role of the emissions on the air quality in the investigated village [El-Danabik] in Northeast Egypt. The main sources of the air pollution in rural areas are brick kiln, using of biomass fuel and livestock excreta. SO[2], NO[2], CO. CO[2] and smoke were measured in the atmosphere surrounding a brick kiln. The data obtained revealed that the atmosphere of the investigated area is highly polluted with these gases. The mean concentration of SO[2] was 23.804 mg/m[3] and NO[2] concentration ranged between 39.01 to 1.41 mg/m[3]. Smoke was also found in a significantly high concentration. The concentrations ranged between 17.70 mg/m[3] and 70.71 mg/m[3]. The wood and agriculture residue combustion [the main fuels used in rural homes] produce many toxic gases besides fine particulate matter [smoke]. High concentration of CO[2] was recorded in the indoor atmosphere, the average concentration was 33673.5 mg/m[3]. Carbon monoxide [CO], is also produced as a product of incomplete combustion of the organic fuels. The CO concentration ranged between 1544.6 mg/m[3] and 2304.5 mg/m[3] in the indoor air in rural houses. The average concentration of SO[2] was 0.98 mg /m[3] while it was 13.79 mg/m[3] for NO[2]. A livestock excreta is a major source of atmospheric ammonia in rural areas. High concentration of ammonia gas was found in the atmosphere near the cattle and chicken farms. The average concentrations were 1.07 +/- 0.93 mg/m[3], 2.5 9 +/- 2.99 mg/m[3] in the atmosphere near the cattle and chicken farms, respectively. It must be stated that adverse effects are possible on the basis of the concentration of air pollutants in indoor and outdoor air in the rural areas

Environmental study on lead emitted from lead battery industry and its removal by activated carbon

Three commercial activated carbons in powder and granular forms were used for the uptake of lead either from air or from aqueous medium. Batch equilibrium experiments have been carried out to optimize variables controlling the adsorption efficiency. The equilibrium time was to be about 12 hrs. However, more than 90% of the uptake is observed after 6 hrs. The uptake in all cases increases with the increase of pH to reach maximum at pH range 3.5-5.5. No trial has been made to follow lead uptake in the alkaline range because in this range lead is precipitated rather than adsorbed. For the same equilibrium time, the amount of lead adsorbed is higher for greater values of initial concentration. The adsorption isotherms of lead ions from aqueous solution are Langmuirian isotherms of type [L] according to Giles classification. The data obtained from the adsorption equilibrium experiments was found to fit Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The breakthrough curves were measured at 10 cm bed height and an initial lead concentration of 50 mg/l and a flow rate of 2 ml/min for the carbons used. The carbon sample [E] was used for the uptake of lead fumes from lead-acid battery workshops using packed column of 10 centimeters height. The concentrations of lead emitted from ten different workshops were measured twice per week for 4 hrs each day. However, regardless the high concentrations of lead emitted, a percent removal between 50 and 78% was achieved