Emission Loads
This tool is giving the user the access to the APRIORA’s internal database related to consumption data and removal rates. Finally, it calculates the load of previously selected APIs at each WWTP within a catchmment.
The tool contains 3 different windows:
In the next paragraphs, the functionalities of each windows are described. More detailed instruction on how to use them can be found in the video-tutorial in the Workflow sections below.
Consumption data
With:
\(m_{i,y}\) = yearly consumption of y API [\(mg/inh/a\)]
\(m_{cp,y}\) = yearly prescribed API intake [\(kg/a\)]
\(m_{cs,y}\) = yearly sold over-the-counter API intake [\(kg/a\)]
\(e\) = API specific excretion rate [-]
\(n_{pop}\) = population in the reference area for intake data [-]
Input data
For this tool no input data is required. All the necessary input data (consumption values) are already provided. In case the user would like to add their own input data, it is possible to do so.
Workflow
Go in the Processing Toolbox and look for the APRIORA plugin. Click on API emission and open 3 - Emission Loads
Go on the “Consumption data” window
Explore the database and find the APIs that you are interested in (e.g., Carbamazepine and Diclofenac for 2023, Germany, MV)
Select the substances, click on “Add to the selection” and the substance will be added in the “Selected consumption data” window
Repeat the steps 3&4 with all the interested APIs
In case the user would like to add custom substances:
Click on the “+” icon
Go to the bottom of the table and fill out the “API input”, “API name”, “year”, “country” and “region” fields. The other fields can be kept empty.
Add to the selection the newly added API by repeating the steps 3&4.
In case the user would like to share the consumption table with other users or import it from other users:
Click on the three dots in the top left corner and select “Export table (for sharing only)”
Click on the three dots in the top left corner and select “Import external consumption table”
Removal rate
Input data
For this tool no input data is required. All the necessary input data (removal rates) are already provided. In case the user would like to add their own input data, it is possible to do so.
Workflow
Go on the “Removal rate” window
Check if the values for the different APIs and different technical classes are correct
To change something, simply double click on a number and update the value
To add a new substance, click on the “+” icon and fill out all the fields (“CAS No.” can be kept empty)
In case the user would like to share the removal rate table with other users or import it from other users:
Click on the three dots in the top left corner and select “Export table (for sharing only)”
Click on the three dots in the top left corner and select “Import external consumption table”
Emission Loads
Input data
One input data is necessary for this tool:
WWTP.shp
The WWTP.shp is a point shapefile containing the emission point of the WWTPs as geometry and important information of the facilities in the attribute table. The required information are: ID and name of the WWTP; number of connected inhabitant; number representing the type of treatment (1=primary, 2=secondary, 3=tertiary, 4=quaternary); optionally, the annual effluent flow from the WWTP in order to calculate the dilution ratio in Accumulation. An example of these information can be summarized in Table 5.
ID |
Name |
Connected Inhabitants |
Type of treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
163 |
KA Vorbeck |
98 |
2 |
202 |
KA Groß Lüsewitz |
913 |
1 |
691 |
KA Schwaan |
10004 |
3 |
156 |
KA Hanstorf |
312 |
2 |
169 |
KA Güstrow/Parum |
34333 |
3 |
Important
The column “Type of treatment” needs to be a number from 1 to 4. The emission point should be within 500 m to the closest river section.
Next, the load is calculated according to the formula (2):
With:
\(m_{WW,eff}\) = load [\(kg/a\)]
\(i_{WWTP}\) = connected inhabitants [\(inh\)]
\(m_{i,y}\) = yearly consumption of y API [\(mg/inh/a\)]
\(r_{WWTP}\) = removal rate [-]
The plugin retrieves the technical class assigned to each treatmant plant and identifies the corresponding removal rate for each API from the data pool. This value (\(r_{WWTP}\)) is then used as input for formula (2) to calculate the reduced emissions after treatment.
Workflow
Go on the “Emission loads” window
Select the WWTP shapefile and specify the field for ID, name and technical class
Click on “Load Table”
Check the consumption values and removal rates at each WWTPs. In case you would like to change something, double click on a number and update the value.
In case the user would like to share the WWTP locations table with other users or import it from other users:
Click on the three dots in the top left corner and select “Export table (for sharing only)”
Click on the three dots in the top left corner and select “Import external consumption table”
After making (or not) all the necessary changes, the user can then proceed by:
Specify the correct field for Connected Inhabitants and (optionally) for WWTP annual effluent flow
Click on Calculate emission loads
Output data:
emission_loads.shp
The output is a point shapefile with the same geometry as the WWTP.shp. The attribute table contains the ID and Name columns from WWTP.shp and n columns related to the emission load of n selected APIs (e.g., if the user selects 3 APIs, 3 load columns are added). Finally, the load is expressed in kg/a. Optionally, if the user added also WWTP annual effluent information, a column containing this value will be present in the emission_loads.shp.