Assessment of trace contaminants from a model indirect liquefaction facility. Volume IV. Public health hazards of Lurgi/Fischer-Tropsch coal liquefaction

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6808012

Gasper, J R; Rosenberg, S E

This analysis identifies the public health hazards of wastes from Lurgi/Fischer-Tropsch coal liquefaction. First, body burdens that result from exposure to Lurgi/Fischer-Tropsch wastes are compared to body burdens from other sources of the same chemicals. Second, ambient concentrations of pollutants from Lurgi/Fischer-Tropsch operations are projected and compared to various air and water quality standards. Quantitative characterization of liquefaction wastes is limited to a few specific process streams. Consequently, quantifiable measures of risk are restricted to those streams. For waste streams that are not quantified, we used qualitative measures of risk. Results of the quantitative assessment indicate: (1) Ambient atmospheric concentrations of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, arsenic, nickel carbonyl, and mercury - seven out of 73 substances for which risks were quantifiable - are projected to violate or be within one order of magnitude of acceptable levels for public exposure. However, due to their toxicity and slow biodegradation, only the trace elements (Al, As, Be, Bo, Cd, Cu, F, Fe, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, Se, V) and nickel carbonyl are projected to be of concern of public health. (2) Ambient aquatic concentrations of trace elements, phenols, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, substituted benzenes, mercaptans, fatty acids, and aromatic amines will violate or be within one order of magnitude of acceptable levels for public exposure. Trace elements, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and phenols are projected to be of concern to public health. (3) Unquantified waste streams currently release carcinogens, co-carcinogens, and toxic substances to the environment. All carry the potential for public health impact. (4) The flaring of process gas during normal operations may release carcinogens and toxic chemicals to the atmosphere. The effect of flaring on gas composition needs to be assessed. 45 references, 5 figures, 15 tables.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC01-79EV10291; AC05-84OR21400; W-31-109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6808012
• Report Number(s): DOE/EV/10291-T2-Vol.4; ON: DE84013990
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COAL LIQUEFACTION PLANTS
HEALTH HAZARDS
WASTES
AIR POLLUTION
ALUMINIUM
AMINES
AMMONIA
ARSENIC
BENZENE
BERYLLIUM
BODY BURDEN
BORON
CADMIUM
CARBONYLS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
COAL LIQUEFACTION
COPPER
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS
FLARING
FLUORINE
FORECASTING
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
IRON
LEAD
LURGI PROCESS
MAGNESIUM
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MERCURY
NICKEL
NITROGEN OXIDES
PHENOLS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SAFETY STANDARDS
SELENIUM
SIMULATION
SULFUR DIOXIDE
THEORETICAL DATA
THIOLS
TRACE AMOUNTS
VANADIUM
WATER POLLUTION
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
AROMATICS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL GASIFICATION
DATA
ELEMENTS
GASIFICATION
HALOGENS
HAZARDS
HYDRIDES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INFORMATION
LIQUEFACTION
METALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SEMIMETALS
STANDARDS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
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520200 - Environment
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