The Power Generation from Coal in Pakistan: Assessment of Physicochemical Pollutant Indicators in Indigenous Reserves in Comparison to the Foreign Coal

Abstract

Electricity production through coal combustion is the only viable solution in minimum timing. As environmental chemists, our primary goal is to assess environmental hazards and suggest cost-effective technologies for reducing combustion pollutants. In the present study, indigenous coal samples from different mines were analyzed for their physicochemical properties and toxic metals. Five samples from foreign coal mines were also studied for comparison purposes and already in use for power generation. The sulfur content in Thar coal (0.62 %) is similar to foreign samples of Indonesian and Mozambique samples (0.35 – 1.63 %). Heating values of local coals show their potential as future fuel. The principal component analysis was applied to the data. It interprets that the concentration of toxic metals in indigenous and foreign samples is lower than the reported Greece samples. The concentration of metals in Badin coal samples is similar to foreign studied samples and is lower than the reported China, South Africa and other local samples. Copper (77.64 mg/kg), Zinc (63.23 mg/kg), Chromium (75.80 mg/kg), Mercury (0.22 mg/kg) and Manganese (119.07 mg/kg) are found to be high in Thar and Lead (49.41 mg/kg) in Lakhra. Balochistan is elevated in the concentration of nickel (52.63 mg/kg). It becomes obligatory for the policy makers of the country to suggest legislation for the use of appropriate Clean Coal Technologies (CCT) in the use of the coal in power sector.

Keywords

• Indigenous coal
• Power generation
• Trace metals
• Pollutants
• CCT