Environmental management of sulfur trioxide emission: Impact of SO3 on human health

The major contributors to global acidification are sulfur oxides and nitrog en oxides emitted mostly by the burning of fossil fuels. From the scientifi c point of view, it Is necessary to make a clear distinction between sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide when referring to sulfur oxides. These two air pollutants have different properties. This paper reports the following asp ects: the strong effect of sulfur trioxide an local human health (a case st udy of asthma in Yokkaichi), the problem of corrosion caused by sulfur trio xide, the difference in analytical methods for determining sulfur dioxide c oncentrations and sulfur trioxide concentrations, and the difference in rem oval methods for sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide. An important initiativ e at the third European conference of environment ministers was that the is sue of human health related to local air pollution should be given priority over that of global pollution. The declines in the emissions of sulfur dio xide and nitrogen oxides have mainly been effective in reducing acidificati on due to long-range transport. The reduction in sulfur trioxide may be mor e effective in improving local human health mentioned in the initiative.