SETTING UP AERMOD DISPERSION MODEL IN PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY OF BRICK KILN IN ISLAMABAD

Abstract

The use of brick kilns is a significant source of air pollution in Pakistan, especially in urban areas. The AERMOD dispersion model has been widely used to evaluate the air quality impacts of brick kilns in Pakistan. This literature review summarizes the findings of various studies that have applied the AERMOD model to evaluate the impacts of brick kilns in Pakistan. The review highlights the effectiveness of the AERMOD model in predicting air pollution concentrations and identifying the major sources of pollution from brick kilns. Several studies found that brick kilns are a significant source of particulate matter emissions and recommended the use of cleaner technologies to reduce emissions. The AERMOD model has also been used to evaluate the health and environmental impacts of air pollution from brick kilns. Studies found that air pollution from brick kilns was associated with increased mortality, morbidity, and reduced tree growth. The AERMOD model has several advantages over other air quality models when evaluating the impacts of brick kilns in Pakistan. The model considers the effects of terrain and buildings on the dispersion of pollutants, which can improve the accuracy of the predictions. Moreover, the model can simulate multiple sources of pollution simultaneously, which is essential when evaluating the impacts of brick kilns in urban areas. However, the AERMOD model also has some limitations when evaluating the impacts of brick kilns in Pakistan. The model requires accurate input data, which may be scarce or of poor quality in some regions, limiting the accuracy of the model. The AERMOD dispersion model is a valuable tool for evaluating the air quality impacts of brick kilns in Pakistan. The findings of this review suggest the importance of implementing better pollution control measures and using cleaner technologies to reduce emissions from brick kilns in Pakistan. In this study the model has been utilized to develop an understanding of the plume distribution from a brick kiln in Islamabad. Moreover, an attempt has been made to cover the shortcomings in data inputs which are not applicable for the model in the country.