The Technical Program for Air

It is well known that greenhouse effects lead to “global warming,” which severely threatens our atmospheric environment. It has been predicted that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide could increase the average global temperature by 1.8 degrees Celcius by 2030. Carbon dioxide makes the largest contribution (63%) to this climate change and is regarded as the primary greenhouse gas. Over the past ten years, over 20 x 10¹² tons of carbon dioxide have been released into the atmosphere as combustion exhaust. Since the beginning of the industrial era, carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere have risen from 280 ppm to over 360 ppm. China is one of the largest coal producing and consuming countries in the world. China produced 33×10⁸ tons of carbon dioxide in 2002, and at current rates of growth this level is expected to reach an estimated 67×10⁸ tons by 2030. Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions resulting from energy utilization is a large task for China.

Scientists from Western Kentucky University's Institute for Combustion Science and Environmental Technology (ICSET) are working in conjunction with scientists at Anhui University of Science and Technology's (AUST) Research Center of Environmental Science and Engineering and AUST's School of Medicine to carry out the following activities:

• Monitor coal-related emissions
• Develop a database for the information
• Analyze data for decision-makers

Using the Huainan City area as a demonstration site, the Technical Program for Air provides training and enhances analytical capabilities at AUST to allow scholars and students there to improve Huainan’s monitoring system for CO₂, SO₂, NO_x, PM10 and other air toxins resulting from coal-fired power and chemical plants, and in turn to reduce the coal-burning related public health problems.