Environmental investigation of pollutants in coal mine operation and waste dump area monitored in Ordos Region, China

Abstract

The increasingly severe emissions of greenhouse and poisonous gases from environmentally unsafe stockpiled coal mine waste dumps have urged people from the academia as well as the industry to focus on environmental impact assessment. In this study, one-year air pollutant monitoring was conducted at the Qipanjing coalfield in Inner Mongolia of China for determining the distribution pattern statue of pollutant exposure and its main driving factors. We used FTIR spectroscopy to measure the inorganic compounds in particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 μm. The spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of leading pollutants, including PM_2.5, PM₁₀, SO₂, NO₂, O₃ and CO were analyzed. Firstly, the research showed that the temporal and spatial distribution of pollutants in the coal mine waste area is non-homogeneous. Secondly, some meteorological parameters, such as wind speed, relative humidity, temperature, and rainfall, were found to have significant effects on air pollutant distribution. Stable atmospheric conditions were unfavorable for the diffusion of pollutants and prolong the pollution process. Finally, in the vicinity of coalfields, SO₂ and NO₂ are present in high concentrations in air. Primary reasons for such high values are coal mining-related activities and active mine fires. This study will help to offer valuable and detailed information for understanding and interpreting the pollution source.