Assessment of air pollution resulting from the South Baghdad power plant using the Gaussian model

The city of Baghdad is currently facing a significant air pollution crisis due to increased industrial activity. Therefore, the assessment of concentrations of air pollutants specifically carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) at Al-Mustansiriya University, located approximately 10 km from the north of the South Baghdad Thermal Power Plant (SBTPP), has been made and the emission rates of these pollutants are estimated. The atmospheric stability was determined using a three-dimensional ultrasonic anemometer and stability classes were determined using the Monin-Obukhov method and applied Lagrange scale to calculate vertical and horizontal dispersion coefficients. We applied the Gaussian model to the dataset in July 2024, a month characterized by peak power generation and increased fuel combustion. The results showed that the vertical dispersion coefficient played an important role more than the transverse dispersion coefficient in measuring the dispersion of pollutants causing instability in the atmosphere. A significant peak around the tenth day of the month was observed, suggesting a change in winds, temperature, or weather patterns that influenced the dispersion and accumulation of these gases. The concentrations of the gases were found to vary with distance. The analysis indicated that the pollutants from the plant primarily dispersed in a north-westerly direction due to prevalent wind direction and their impact on areas near the Al-Mustansiriya University.