IIT-M researchers study impact of power plant emission on climate
The HinduAn international research team used the COVID-19 induced lockdown to pinpoint the climate impact of power plant emissions. The team studied atmospheric conversion of gaseous emissions from power plants to particulate matter results in particles that are rich in sulphate and consequently have high cloud forming potential compared to natural counterparts. Sachin S. Gunthe from the institute’s Centre for Atmospheric and Climate Sciences in the Department of Civil Engineering led the research that delved into the impact of emissions from Neyveli coal-fired power plant, located about 200 km south of Chennai, on aerosol growth and cloud-forming properties during the COVID-19 induced lockdown. The study found that the conversion of gaseous sulphur dioxide emissions from power plant into particulate matter contributes to an elevated mass load of aerosols rich in sulphates with high cloud-forming potential within the atmosphere. The study revealed an event where long-range transport of SO 2 gas emitted from the Neyveli power plant resulted in new particle formation in Chennai, generating particles generally known as secondary aerosols.
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