Emissions Factors of Air Pollutants from Rice Straw Burning-hood Experiments

Abstract: The burning of rice straw produces a significant amount of particulate matter (PM) and gaseous air pollutants on a regional and global scale. In this study, the hood experiments were conducted to investigate the emission of air pollutants from rice straw burning (RSB). Samples of PM were collected isokinetically following the U.S. EPA methods 1, 1A, and 5. Gaseous pollutants were directly measured using a flue gas analyzer (Testo 350 XL). Emission factors (EF) (g.kg-1) determined for PM, CO2, CO, and SO2 were 17 ± 3.8, 1399 ± 228, 68 ± 22, and 1.5 ± 0.4, respectively meanwhile NO and NO2 were not detected in the flue gas. It was observed that flaming is the main phase in the process of RSB. The total emission from rice straw burning of 13 provinces in the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam in 2020 was estimated using the EF obtained from the hood experiments. The result shows that Kien Giang, An Giang, and Dong Thap were the high emission group in the Mekong River Delta, contributing 19%, 17%, and 14% to total emissions. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for further studies to determine EF from rice straw open burning in the fields and find sustainable measures to control this activity.