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Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering

ISSN 2095-2201

ISSN 2095-221X(Online)

CN 10-1013/X

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2018 Impact Factor: 3.883

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Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.    2018, Vol. 12 Issue (2) : 13    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-018-1005-3
RESEARCH ARTICLE
PM2.5-related health impacts of utilizing ammonia-hydrogen energy in Kanto Region, Japan
Mengqian Lu1, Bin-Le Lin2(), Kazuya Inoue2, Zhongfang Lei1, Zhenya Zhang1, Kiyotaka Tsunemi2
1. Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
2. National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan
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Abstract

Health impacts of utilizing ammonia as chemical carrier were investigated.

Influenced by ammonia emissions, PM2.5 increased 11.7% in winter and 3.5% in summer.

PM2.5-related premature deaths turned to be 351 per year.

Ammonia has emerged as a promising hydrogen carrier with applications as an energy source in recent years. However, in addition to being toxic, gaseous ammonia is a precursor of secondary inorganic aerosols. The concentration of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is intrinsically connected to public health. In this study, PM2.5-related health impacts of utilizing ammonia-hydrogen energy in Kanto Region, Japan, were investigated. It was assumed that 20% of the electricity consumption in Kanto Region, the most populated area in Japan, was supplied by ammonia-hydrogen energy. The PM2.5 resulted from incomplete ammonia decomposition was simulated by a chemical transport model: ADMER-PRO (modified version). Based on the incremental PM2.5 concentration, health impacts on the elderly (individuals over 65 years old) were quantitatively evaluated. The ammonia emission in this scenario increased PM2.5 by 11.7% (0.16 μg·m–3·y–1) in winter and 3.5% (0.08 μg·m–3·y–1) in summer, resulting in 351 premature deaths per year. This study suggests that cost-effective emissions control or treatment and appropriate land planning should be considered to reduce the associated health impacts of this type of energy generation. In addition, further in-depth research, including cost-benefit analysis and security standards, is needed.
Keywords Ammonia emissions      Energy carrier      Hydrogen energy      Fine particulate matters      Atmospheric modeling      Premature death     
Corresponding Author(s): Bin-Le Lin   
Issue Date: 15 November 2017
 Cite this article:   
Mengqian Lu,Bin-Le Lin,Kazuya Inoue, et al. PM2.5-related health impacts of utilizing ammonia-hydrogen energy in Kanto Region, Japan[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2018, 12(2): 13.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-018-1005-3
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2018/V12/I2/13
Fig.1  Seven prefectures (Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, and Kanagawa) and the geographical locations of the 21 LNG thermal power plants in Kanto Region
LNG power plant Generating capacity
(104 kW)		 Emission amount
(tons•y–1)		 Location
Anusaki Thermal Power Plant 361 3373 Chiba
Ichihara Power Plant 11 103 Chiba
Ougishima Power Station 81 757 Kanagawa
Kashimaminami Cooperative Power Plant 21 196 Ibaraki
Kanasaki Power Plant 200 1869 Kanagawa
JR Eastern Japan Kanasaki Power Plant 14 131 Kanagawa
Kawasaki LNG Power Plant 85 794 Kanagawa
Goi Thermal Power Plant 189 1766 Chiba
Samitto Mihama Power Chiba Power Plant 5 47 Chiba
JFE Chiba Power Plant 87 813 Chiba
Shinagawa Thermal Power Plant 114 1065 Tokyo
Sodegaura Thermal Power Plant 360 3363 Chiba
Chiba Thermal Power Plant 438 4092 Chiba
Japan Tech Sodegaura Greenpower 11 103 Chiba
Ougishima Thermal Power Plant 200 1869 Kanagawa
Futtsu Thermal Power Plant 540 5045 Chiba
Bay Side Energy Ichihara Power Plant 11 103 Chiba
South Yokohama Thermal Power Plant 115 1074 Kanagawa
Mihama Seaside Power Shinkou Power Plant 11 103 Chiba
Yokoshika Power Station 24 224 Kanagawa
Yokohama Thermal Power Plant 333 3111 Kanagawa
Total 3211 30,001
Tab.1  The 21 LNG thermal power plants in Kanto Region and their estimated ammonia emissions
Fig.2  Estimated annual changes in emissions of ammonia (a) and NOx and SO2 (b) under the conditions of the ammonia-hydrogen energy system
Fig.3  Incremental PM2.5 caused by ammonia emissions from the LNG thermal power plants utilizing ammonia-hydrogen power generation systems. Simulated data in winter (December to January) (a) and summer (July to August) (b)
Fig.4  GR in the base case. Simulated data in winter (December to January) (a) and summer (July to August) (b)
Fig.5  Premature deaths caused by incremental PM2.5 resulted from utilizing ammonia-hydrogen energy in Kanto Region. Annual chronic death (a) and daily acute death in winter and summer, respectively (b)
Prefectures Power plants Annual premature deaths
Ibaraki 1 4
Tochigi 0 0
Gunma 0 0
Saitama 0 35
Chiba 11 63
Tokyo 1 174
Kanagawa 8 75
Tab.2  The number of LNG thermal power plants and the annual premature deaths for each prefecture in Kanto Region
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