Evaluation of air quality in Volta Redonda, the main metallurgical industrial city in Brazil

Abstract

The largest steel plant in Brazil is located in Volta Redonda city, RJ. Coke production in this kind of industry is the major emission source of aromatic compounds. Aiming the implementation of pollution control measures in industries, FEEMA, Rio de Janeiro State environmental agency, evaluated air quality in that city in Dec/95-May/96 and Apr-May/99. In the first campaign, total suspended particles (TSP), benzene, toluene, xylenes (BTX) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) were analyzed and high average concentrations were found 102 μg m-3, 70 μg m-3, 23 μg m -3, 2.5 μg m-3 and 186 μg m-3, respectively. Following drastic control measures, the second evaluation (Apr-May/99) showed values that dropped to 102 μg m-3 (TSP); 62 μg m-3 (PM10), 23 μg m-3 (B), 4 μg m-3 (T), 0.6 μg m-3 (X), 73 μg m-3 (SO2) besides metals. These results, mainly for benzene, indicate that the monitoring program must continue until a final solution for this problem is reached.