Title: Modelling of formaldehyde dispersion in the industrial park air using GIS

Authors: Mansooreh Dehghani; Abbas Khodabakhshi; Mohammad Mehdi Taghizadeh; Hassan Hashemi; Ebrahim Rastgoo

Addresses: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Health Faculty, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71645-111, Shiraz, Iran ' Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Health Faculty, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 8815713471, Shahrekord, Iran ' Environmental Engineering Department, Estahban Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 74518-64747, Estahban, Iran ' Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Research Center for Health Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71645-111, Shiraz, Iran ' Department of Civil Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Apadana University, P.O. Box 7185884891, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract: The city of Zarghan is located 25 km northeast of Shiraz, Southern Iran. Two major industries are producing melamine resin, located within two kilometres from Zarghan residential area. Formaldehyde is the major chemical compound used in these industries. Since formaldehyde is known as a human carcinogen, there is a concern about its high concentration and also its distribution in Zarghan residential area and the serious health risk associated with the exposure to the chemical. Therefore, the aim of this study was to measure the concentration of formaldehyde and determine its dispersion in Zarghan residential area by GIS. Passive sampling method was used to measure the concentration of formaldehyde at ten monitoring stations. The results showed that the formaldehyde concentration near these industries was 38.1 µgm⁻³. Interpolation using GIS showed that the concentration of pollutants at 1,400 m from the point sources was still in the standard limit of 10 µgm⁻³.

Keywords: formaldehyde dispersion; GIS; passive sampling; interpolation; modelling; industrial parks; air pollution; air quality; geographic information systems; Iran; melamine resin; residential areas.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2015.074933

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2015 Vol.16 No.4, pp.293 - 304

Accepted: 24 Sep 2015
Published online: 24 Feb 2016 *

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