Question

Major gaseous pollutant produced by the combustion of coal in power plant is
1. CO₂
2. CO
3. SO₂
4. NO₂

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 3 : SO₂

The correct answer is SO2.

• Coal is a fuel source that is relatively inexpensive to produce and convert to useful energy.
• Coal-fired power plants are linked with asthma, cancer, heart and lung ailments, neurological problems, acid rain, global warming, and other severe environmental and public health impacts.
• Sulfur dioxide causes a range of harmful effects on the lungs, wheezing, shortness of breath, etc.
• Sulfur dioxide is widely used in the food and drinks industries for its properties as a preservative and antioxidant.
• Emissions from burning coal:
  • ​Fly ash and bottom ash, which are residues created when power plants burn coal.
  • Sulfur dioxide (SO2), which contributes to acid rain and respiratory illnesses.
  • Mercury and other heavy metals, which have been linked to both neurological and developmental damage in humans and other animals.
  • Nitrogen oxides (NOx), which contribute to smog and respiratory illnesses.
  • Carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the primary greenhouse gas produced from burning fossil fuels.
  • Particulates, which contribute to smog, haze, and respiratory illnesses, and lung disease.

•  Coal and global warming:
  • ​Global warming is driven by emissions of heat-trapping gases, primarily from human activities, that rise into the atmosphere and act like a blanket, warming the earth’s surface.
  • Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from combusting fossil fuels are the main driver of global warming. CO2 is also the main byproduct of coal combustion.
  • Methane (CH4) often occurs in the same areas that coal is formed, and is released during mining activities.