ENV20

Introduction to Environmental Engineering

2nd Term 2016-2017
Part I. Write the meaning of the following acronyms: (10 pts)
1.
PO- Permit to Operate
2.
EMB- Environmental Management Bureau
3.
ODS- Ozone Depleting Substances
4.
EGF- Environmental Guarantee Fund
5.
AQF- Air Quality Management Fund

6. NAAQGV- National Ambient Air Quality Guideline Values

7. POPs- Persistent Organic Pollutants
8. GWP- Global Water Partnership
9. AAQGV- Ambient Air Quality Guidelines Values
10. TLV- Threshold Limit Value

Part II. Answer the questions below: (10 pts each)

AIR
1.

What are criteria pollutants? Give the criteria pollutants enumerated in R.A. 8749. Complete table below:
Criteria Pollutants

Major Source

Acceptable TLV

(1) SOx

Fossil-fuel and
lowgrade fuel (coal)
combustion, nonferrous
metal smelting, H2S,
mercaptans

2 ppm

Acid rain, SO2 human

health problem, reduced
visibility, damage to
plants/animals, smog,
haze, aesthetic damage,
corrosion of materials

(2) NOx

Burning of fuel, power

generation plants,
industrial furnaces,
transportations, waste
disposal systems

3-5 ppm

Photochemical smoginjurious to
plants/animals and
human health Increased
nitrogen loading upsets
the chemical balance of
nutrients in water bodies
Eutrophication w/c leads
to O2 depletion

(3) CO

Incomplete combustion
of any organic fuel
(transportation)

<30 ppm

Prevents blood from

carrying oxygen thus
extremely harmful to
humans
Contributes to the
formation of smog or
ground-level ozone

ADNieva

Environmental Impact

LEARNING TASK

Major Pollution
Control
Increasing
conservation
&
energy
efficiency
measures the
use
of
alternative
sources
of
energy
and
burn less coal
Utilize
pollution
abatement
technology
(Additional
Cost
in
producing the
energy)
Some
abatement
technologies
are currently
available such
as Flue Gas
Recirculation,
Low NOx
Burners
(LNB) and
Combustion
Optimization.
Emission
Controls are
used in
todays life
such as air
injection,
exhaust gas
recirculation,
catalytic
converter and
other
emission
Page 1 of 4

ENV20
Introduction to Environmental Engineering
2nd Term 2016-2017

(4) Particulate Matter

Combustion of fuel
(noncombustible ash or
incompletely burned
soot), materials
handling processes
(crushing, grinding or
bulk loading of dry
materials), dust storm,
volcanic ash & forest
fires

(5) VOCs

Incomplete combustion
or by evaporation of
organic liquids, cars &
other vehicles, solventbased paints, forests &
vegetation emit various
HCs in their biological
normal processes,
bacterial
decomposition of
organic matters (CH4 ),
incomplete combustion
of coal, oil & wood,
processing & use of
petroleum
Motor vehicles &
industrial sources
Metals processing
(lead smelters) Waste
incinerators, utilities &
lead-acid battery
manufacturers.

(6) Pb

ADNieva

10ppm

Play areas: 400 ppm

Nonplay areas: 1200

ppm
The EPA's standard
for lead in bare soil
in play areas is 400
ppm by weight and
1200 ppm for nonplay areas. This
regulation applies to
cleanup projects
using federal funds.

Reductions in visibility
(smog or haze), soiling of
buildings, corrosive
damage, alteration of
local weather, damage
human health (respiratory
disease, coughing and
painful breathing &
chronic bronchitis),
retard plant growth

Reactive HCs
(RCH=CHR) form smog,
implicated health
problems i.e.benzopyrene

Damages organs
(kidneys, liver, brain and
nerves) Osteoporosis &
reproductive disorders
Seizures, mental
retardation, behavioral
disorders, memory
problems & mood
changes
Learning deficits &
lowered IQ
High blood pressure,
heart diseases
Anemia or weak blood

LEARNING TASK

controls that
can help
reduce CO.
To reduce
emissions,
there should
be dust
control for
roads,
constructions
and landfills,
landscaping,
barrier and
fencing to
reduce
windblown
dust; avoid
using leaf
blowers and
other dustproducing
equipment.
To reduce
exposure to
these toxins,
products
should
contain LOWVOCs or NO
VOCs to
eliminate
stockpiling of
these
toxins/chemic
als.
Waste Water
run-offs
should be
contained in
storage piles
with built-in
catchment
drainage to
retain and
collect the
sediments.
Adding
organic
matter, like
composted
leaves, nonacid peat and
decomposed
manure
Page 2 of 4

ENV20
Introduction to Environmental Engineering
2nd Term 2016-2017

(7) O3 (Ozone )

2.

Motor vehicles &

industrial sources
Gasoline vapors
Chemical solvents
Called as
summertime
pollutant since
sunlight and hot
weather cause ground
level O3 to form
harmful concentrations
Wind carries ozone

0.05 ppm

Irritate lung airways &

cause inflammation much
like a sunburn
Wheezing, coughing,
pain when taking a deep
breath during outdoor
activities or exercise
Repeated exposure for
several months can cause
permanent lung damage
Aggravated asthma,
reduced lung capacity
Susceptibility to
pneumonia & bronchitis

because lead
contents tend
to bind with
organic
compounds.
Vapor
recovery
nozzls at the
gasoline
pumps to
reduce
refuelling
emissions,
strict NOx
emission
limits for
power plants
and industrial
combustion
sources and
strict
limitations on
the solvent
usage in
factories.

If you will be in-charge with the site selection for an industrial plant, which would you prefer, in an attainment area or in a nonattainment area? Explain your answer using RA 8749 Provisions on Attainment and Non-attainment areas.
Based on RA 8749, a non-attainment area is areas with persistent air quality problem. This means that the area has violated
federal health-based standards for outdoor air pollution. Thus, I would prefer to choose area which was designated as an
attainment area.I prefer attainment area rather than non-attainment area because the air quality is at below the NAAQV, meaning,
the government is not strict with the compliance compared to the non-attainment areas. Also, upon non-conformity, unlike in a
non-attainment area, the plant shall be rewarded of a grace period to comply certain standards.

3.

What will you do if a problem arise in the plant (i.e. boiler broke down) to avoid violations of Clean Air Act?

Boilers are essential equipment in many industrial processes. For example, these equipment supply steam to the processes for heating.
Sudden breakdown of boilers may cause great interruption to the energy supply, thus, immediate action must be taken by experienced
engineers in order to avoid production of contaminants to the environment. In order to avoid these problems, the person in charge
within the plant should have an intensive knowledge of the process in order to properly troubleshoot the equipment.If there would be a
problem arise in the plant, I shall write a letter to the EMB & DENR regarding of what happened and I will ask for a help or solution
regarding of that. If they will approve it, 18 months is given to comply the necessary problems in the plant. If met, grace period shall
be given.

ADNieva

LEARNING TASK

Page 3 of 4

ENV20
Introduction to Environmental Engineering
2nd Term 2016-2017

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted
rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
- ARISTOTLE

ADNieva

LEARNING TASK

Page 4 of 4