Integrated Nitrogen Management

Modeling by the AIR program has shown that efforts to reduce the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) precursor emissions will not deliver the expected drop in air pollution unless a reduction of agricultural ammonia (NH3) emissions is achieved. At the same time, proper nitrogen management delivers a wide range of other development benefits.

Around the world, chemical analyses of PM2.5 found in ambient air clearly indicate that secondary inorganic aerosols constitute a significant share of total PM2.5mass, typically 30-50%. Such inorganic aerosols are formed in the atmosphere from gaseous sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, which react with NH3 to form solid particles. In many situations, this formation is dependent on the availability of NH3, which predominantly originates from agricultural sources such as livestock farming and fertilizer application. As a consequence, effective strategies that aim to lower population exposure to fine particles will need to include the control of NH3 emissions, otherwise efforts to reduce other PM2.5 precursor emissions will not deliver the expected return.

Research Projects

Effects of Climate Change on Air Pollution and Response Strategies for European Ecosystems (ECLAIRE)

39 research partner institutions study the effects of climate change on ecosystems impacts in Europe and develop next generation European air pollution mitigation and adaptation strategies under climate change. More

Clean Air Strategies for Europe

IIASA’s Mitigation of Air Pollution & Greenhouse Gases Program (MAG) is using its modeling tools to identify strategies to assist in meeting European Union’s clean air goals. More

Key Findings

Resources

AIR has produced global emission fields for a range of future scenarios for non-CO2 emissoins as an input for modeling of future atmospheric chemistry and transport as well as climate impacts. Data can be downloaded from the GAINS database.


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Last edited: 24 July 2018

CONTACT DETAILS

Wilfried Winiwarter

Senior Research Scholar Pollution Management Research Group - Energy, Climate, and Environment Program

Zbigniew Klimont

Research Group Leader and Principal Research Scholar Pollution Management Research Group - Energy, Climate, and Environment Program

PUBLICATIONS

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria
Phone: (+43 2236) 807 0 Fax:(+43 2236) 71 313