Abstract

QUINTERO NUNEZ, Margarito  and  MONCADA AGUILAR, Andrés. Contaminación y control de las quemas agrícolas en Imperial, California, y Mexicali, Baja California. Región y sociedad [online]. 2008, vol.20, n.43, pp.3-24. ISSN 2448-4849.

The burning of agricultural waste in the Mexicali and Imperial valleys, on opposite sides of the U.S. - Mexico border, constitutes an important source of air pollutants emissions, such as methane (CH₄), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), hydrocarbons (NMHC) , and particles smaller than 10 microns (PM₁₀). Dealing with the agricultural smoke problem must consider a common air shed formed by both valleys, which shares extremely dry and hot weather not exceeding 80 mm of rain precipitation annually, plus the fact that agriculture is their main activity. Furthermore, Mexicali's economy is also based on the manufacturing industry and other activities. In Mexicali, the residuals burned are mainly wheat, and in a smaller proportion barley, safflower and corn. The health damages caused by PM ₁₀ emissions are important in both valleys.

Keywords : agricultural burning; pollution; greenhouse gases; health damages.