Poor regional air quality in some states across the US cotton belt has resulted in increased pressure on agricultural sources of particulate matter (PM) from air pollution regulators. Moreover, inaccurate emission factors used in the calculation of annual emissions inventories led to the identification of cotton harvesting as a significant source of PM10 in California and Arizona. As a result, cotton growers in these states are now required to obtain air quality permits and submit management practice plans detailing the actions taken by the producer to reduce fugitive PM emissions from field operations. The objective of this work was to develop accurate PM emission factors for cotton harvesting in terms of total suspended particulate (TSP), PM10, and PM2.5. Two protocols were developed and used to develop PM emission factors from cotton harvesting operations on three farms in Texas during 2006 and 2007. Protocol one utilized TSP concentrations measured downwind of harvesting operations with meteorological data measured onsite in a dispersion model to back-calculate TSP emission flux values. Flux values, determined with the regulatory dispersion models ISCST3 and AERMOD, were converted to emission factors and corrected with results from particle size distribution (PSD) analyses to report emission factors in terms of PM10 and PM2.5. Emission factors were developed for two-row (John Deere 9910) and sixrow (John Deere 9996) cotton pickers with protocol one. The uncertainty associated with the emission factors developed through protocol one resulted in no significant difference between the emission factors for the two machines. Under the second protocol, emission concentrations were measured onboard the six-row cotton picker as the machine harvested cotton. PM10 and PM2.5 emission factors were developed from TSP emission concentration measurements converted to emission rates using the results of PSD analysis. The total TSP, PM10, and PM2.5 emission factors resulting from the source measurement protocol are 1.64 ± 0.37, 0.55 ± 0.12, and 1.58E- 03 ± 4.5E-04 kg/ha, respectively. These emission factors contain the lowest uncertainty and highest level of precision of any cotton harvesting PM emission factors ever developed. Thus, the emission factors developed through the source sampling protocol are recommended for regulatory use.

Spatial distributions of gaseous pollutants CO, NOx, and SO2 in a street canyon in Fung-Shan, Kaohsiung County were measured. The street runs west-to-east with two lanes in a single direction: traffic flows only from west to east. The street canyon is 60 m long (= L) and 20 m wide (= W). The heights of the five-story buildings on both sides of the street are about 16 m (= H). Therefore, the street canyon has an aspect ratio AR (= H/W) = 0.8, and a length to width ratio L/H = 3. Air was sampled on site on three consecutive days, 3 September to 5 September, in 2003. The sampling period were 20 h long, from 00:00 to 19:00 on September 4, but covered only the two rush hours, 07:00-10:00 and 16:30-20:00, on the other two days. Traffic emissions were also estimated using available emission factors from TANEEB (1992). Results show that motorcycles are dominant vehicle in the street. Emission estimations indicate that motorcycle contributed to about 75% of CO emission, automobiles contributed about 80% of NOx emissions, while motorcycles and automobiles each contributed about 50% of SO2 emissions. Variations of traffic emissions generally follow traffic flow rates, indicating reasonable estimations of traffic emissions. When wind blows perpendicularly to the street canyon, air pollutants tend to accumulate in the leeward side. For example, concentration of CO in the leeward side is about two times that in the windward side. Generally, concentrations of air pollutants decrease with height, about 10% to 20% reduction in concentration, particularly noticeable in the leeward side. Results also show that, on leeward side, concentrations of air pollutants in the corridor were lower than those outside the corridor, being about 53.3% difference in CO concentration. However, on windward side, concentrations of air pollutants in the corridor were higher than those outside the corridor, being about 100% difference in NO2 concentration. Keywords: Street Canyon, Mobile Sources, Air Quality, Emission Factor.

Hsuehshan tunnel which included two bore and three ventilation shaft systems is the longest (12.9 km) freeway tunnel in Taiwan. 56 species volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were sampled in two different locations each bore and three emitted shafts to determine the emission factors (EFs). Each sampling day has three sampling period: morning (8:00-10:00), Noon (12:00-14:00) and afternoon 16:00-18:00). C2 species were analyzed by GC/FID and C3 − C12 species were analyzed by GC/MS. The composition in southern bore was expressed by alkanes (36.69% − 39.20%), aromatics (34.14% − 36.33%), alkenes (20.27% − 21.95%), Alkynes (3.35% − 4.11%) and Naphthenes (1.06% − 1.35%). Northern bore had the similar profile. Ethylene (4.93 ¡Ó 2.21 mg/veh-km), Isopropane (4.85 ¡Ó 2.75 mg/veh-km), toluene (4.55 ¡Ó 1.31 mg/veh-km), m,p-xylene (2.98 ¡Ó 0.90 mg/veh-km) and propylene (2.70 ¡Ó 0.88 mg/veh-km) are the top five abundant VOCs in southern bore ; Isopropane (6.78 ¡Ó 3.33 mg/veh-km), ethylene (5.44 ¡Ó 2.63 mg/veh-km), toluene (5.32 ¡Ó 2.39 mg/veh-km), propylene (3.55 ¡Ó 1.67 mg/veh-km) and m,p-xylene (3.36 ¡Ó 1.45 mg/veh-km) are the top five abundant VOCs in northern bore. The EFs were smaller than other freeway tunnel investigated. Shaft emitted the partial mass of VOCs result in concentration gradient dropped off. The total VOCs EF of shafts during holidays was in the range of 72.24 mg/s − 180.60 mg/s higher than on weekdays in the range of 53.40 mg/s − 82.74 mg/s. The EF of shafts had effected by air-extracting apparatus, so standard deviations (S.D.) varied widely. Combining the EF of shaft with EF of tunnel we obtained the overall vehicle EF which was close to other freeway tunnel results. The proportion of Ozone formation potential (OFP) in both bore were alkenes (47.5% − 48.5%), aromatics (40.2% − 42.3%) and alkanes (9.8% − 10.1%). Note that sum of alkenes and aromatics exceeded 90%.

The purpose of this study is the distribution, the emission factors, and the emission rates of the ventilation shafts of air pollutant concentration in the Hsuehshan tunnel, and analyze the correlation. The study, in the inside of Hsuehshan tunnel (the southern and the northern) and the three ventilation shafts, the real-world measure air pollutants(CO, NOx, NO, THC, NMHC and SO2) at the same time, and to analyze the concentration of air pollutants in the tunnel that is distribution of the time and spatial. In this study, the ventilation system is natural ventilation in the Hsuehshan tunnel, and the proportion of heavy vehicles in the period are less than 8%. The concentration of air pollutants in the tunnel, showing the exit higher than the entrance, the northern tunnel higher than the southern tunnel and the holidays higher than on weekdays concentration of distribution trends. The emissions and the concentration of air pollutants at the ventilation shaft No. 2 are the highest with the three shafts. All the ventilation shafts on holidays higher than weekdays were displayed on the trend of concentration distribution. The concentration of air pollutants in the tunnel are CO (12.04¡Ó1.85 ppm), THC (4.08¡Ó0.48 ppm), NMHC (2.21¡Ó0.46 ppm), NOx (1.58¡Ó0.23 ppm), NO (1.44¡Ó0.20 ppm) and SO2 (6.33¡Ó0.83 ppb). The results show that the emission factors of air pollutants in northern tunnel are higher than in southern tunnel by influence of slope. The emissions of ventilation shaft a sequence were CO, THC, and NOx. The concentrations(r¡×0.55 − 0.93) and the emission factors(r¡×0.60 − 0.96) of air pollutants are much related with traffic situation, and it shows that the air pollutants change with traffic condition. Comparison the emission factors between this study and past research in the Hsuehshan tunnel show that the air quality are becoming badly.

In response to growing concerns about the negative impact of GHG emissions, several countries such as the European Union have adopted a cap-and-trade policy to limit the overall emissions levels. Alternatively, other countries including Argentina, Canada, the United Kingdom, and United States have proposed an intensity-based cap-and-trade system that targets emission intensities, measured in emissions per dollars or unit of output. Arguably,intensity regulations can accommodate future economic growth, reduce cost uncertainty, engage developing countries in international efforts to mitigate climate change, and provide incentives to improve energy efficiency and to use less carbon-intensive fuels. This work models and studies a carbon tax scheme where policy makers set a target emission factor, which is used as an intensity measure, for a specific industry and tax firms if they exceed that limit. The policy aims to promote energy efficiency, alleviate the impact on low emitters, and allow high emitters some flexibility to comply. We examine the effectiveness of the policy in reducing the emission factor due to manufacturing and transportation. The major objective of this research is to provide policy makers with a decision support tool that can aid in investigating the impact of an intensity-based carbon tax on regulated sectors and in finding the tax rate that achieves a target reduction. Therefore, we first propose a social-welfare maximizing model that can serve as a tool to evaluate the economic and environmental impacts of the policy. We compare the outcomes of the intensity-based tax and other existing environmental policies; namely, carbon tax imposed on overall emissions, cap-and-trade systems, and mandatory caps using case studies that are built within the context of the cement industry. The effectiveness of the policy is measured by achieving a balance between the target emission factor and the social welfare. To find the optimal tax rate that achieves a target reduction, we propose a bilevel programming model where at the upper level, the government sets a target emission factor for the industry and taxes firms if they exceed that target, and at the lower level, the industry sets output levels that maximize social welfare. In the design of the policy, the government takes into account the decisions of the producers regarding fuel types and production quantities as well as the decisions of the market regarding demand. To evaluate the effectiveness of the policy, we build case studies in the context of cement industry. The policy is found to be effective in reducing the CO2 emissions by opting for a less carbon-intensive fuel with a little impact on social welfare. To examine the effectiveness of the intensity-based carbon tax on reducing CO2 emissions from transportation, which is a major supply chain activity, we finally propose a bilevel program where at the upper level the government decides on the tax rate and at the lower level firms decide on the design of their supply chain and truck types. The policy is found to be effective in inducing firms to reduce their emission factors and consequently reducing the overall emissions.

SEGUNDO, V.C.V. Emissão de óxido nitroso associado ao uso de ureia no cultivo de melão amarelo. 2015. 36 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Fitotecnia) Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agronomia/Fitotecnia Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 2015. / Submitted by Fabíola Bezerra (fabbezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-05-17T16:56:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_vcvsegundo.pdf: 696919 bytes, checksum: 52ee47e83d899199c4aad9bea55d0d32 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Fabíola Bezerra (fabbezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-05-17T17:00:32Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_vcvsegundo.pdf: 696919 bytes, checksum: 52ee47e83d899199c4aad9bea55d0d32 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-17T17:00:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_vcvsegundo.pdf: 696919 bytes, checksum: 52ee47e83d899199c4aad9bea55d0d32 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / The melon is a vegetable of great importance for the Brazilian Northeast: the region largest national producer. However, to obtain high productivity requires the use of inputs that can be harmful to the environment; of these, nitrogen fertilizers. These fertilizers release nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. Given the importance of climate change, this paper proposes to assess the emission of nitrous in oxide yellow melon 'Goldex' cultivation fertilized with nitrogen fertilizer, at 5 and 15 days after transplanting. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) with five replications. The four treatments were defined as follows: 0 (control), 1.0; 1.5 to 2 times the amount of nitrogen is recommended for each stage of this culture mentioned above. The variables analyzed were leaf area, leaf number, shoot dry weight, dry weight of the fruit, dry mass of roots, nitrous oxide flow, total soil nitrogen, plants and N (NH4+ and NO3-) soil. The variables related to plant development were subjected to regression analysis and descriptive analyzes were used (mean ± standard error) for checking the nitrous oxide flow behavior. The treatments significantly affected leaf area, leaf number, dry weight of shoots, dry mass of roots, nitrogen from the shoot, nitrogen from the root of the plants and soil nitrogen. For these variables the quadratic regression model was the best fit to explain the variation of the same from the absence and presence of nitrogen fertilization. Nitrous oxide flow had irregular temporal behavior during the phase of seedlings and growing during the flowering phase. The balance of applied N revealed that only a small portion of the nutrient was recovered. The application of nitrogen in higher than recommended dosages, did not increase the production of melon. Similarly, the calculation of the emission factor showed that the emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the treatments did not reach values harmful to the environment. / O meloeiro é uma hortaliça de grande importância para o Nordeste brasileiro: a região maior produtora nacional. Entretanto, para a obtenção de alta produtividade é necessário utilizar insumos que podem ser prejudiciais ao meio ambiente; dentre estes, os fertilizantes nitrogenados. Esses fertilizantes liberam óxido nitroso, um dos gases de efeito estufa responsável pelo aquecimento global. Dada a importância das mudanças climáticas, este trabalho propõe avaliar a emissão de óxido nitroso em cultivo de meloeiro amarelo ‘Goldex’ adubado com fertilizante nitrogenado, aos 5 e 15 dias após o transplantio. O experimento foi instalado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado (DIC), com cinco repetições. Os quatro tratamentos foram assim definidos: 0 (controle), 1,0; 1,5 e 2 vezes a quantidade de nitrogênio recomendada para cada estádio dessa cultura, acima referido. As variáveis analisadas foram área foliar, número de folhas, massa seca da parte aérea, massa seca dos frutos, massa seca da parte radicular, fluxo de óxido nitroso, nitrogênio total do solo, das plantas e N (NH4+ e NO3-) do solo. As variáveis relativas ao desenvolvimento vegetal e ao nitrogênio da planta e do solo foram submetidas à análise de regressão e análises descritivas foram utilizadas (média ± erro padrão) para verificar o comportamento do fluxo de óxido nitroso. Os tratamentos afetaram significativamente a área foliar, número de folhas, massa seca da parte aérea, massa seca da parte radicular, nitrogênio da parte aérea e parte radicular das plantas e do solo. Para estas variáveis o modelo de regressão quadrático foi o que melhor se ajustou para explicar a variação das mesmas a partir da ausência e presença de adubação nitrogenada. O fluxo de óxido nitroso teve comportamento temporal irregular durante a fase de plântulas e crescente durante a fase de floração. A aplicação de nitrogênio, em dosagens superiores à recomendada, não aumentou a produção do meloeiro. Da mesma forma, o cálculo do fator de emissão mostrou que a emissão do óxido nitroso (N2O), nos diferentes tratamentos, não atingiu valores prejudiciais ao ambiente

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / O meloeiro à uma hortaliÃa de grande importÃncia para o Nordeste brasileiro: a regiÃo maior produtora nacional. Entretanto, para a obtenÃÃo de alta produtividade à necessÃrio utilizar insumos que podem ser prejudiciais ao meio ambiente; dentre estes, os fertilizantes nitrogenados. Esses fertilizantes liberam Ãxido nitroso, um dos gases de efeito estufa responsÃvel pelo aquecimento global. Dada a importÃncia das mudanÃas climÃticas, este trabalho propÃe avaliar a emissÃo de Ãxido nitroso em cultivo de meloeiro amarelo âGoldexâ adubado com fertilizante nitrogenado, aos 5 e 15 dias apÃs o transplantio. O experimento foi instalado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado (DIC), com cinco repetiÃÃes. Os quatro tratamentos foram assim definidos: 0 (controle), 1,0; 1,5 e 2 vezes a quantidade de nitrogÃnio recomendada para cada estÃdio dessa cultura, acima referido. As variÃveis analisadas foram Ãrea foliar, nÃmero de folhas, massa seca da parte aÃrea, massa seca dos frutos, massa seca da parte radicular, fluxo de Ãxido nitroso, nitrogÃnio total do solo, das plantas e N (NH4+ e NO3-) do solo. As variÃveis relativas ao desenvolvimento vegetal e ao nitrogÃnio da planta e do solo foram submetidas à anÃlise de regressÃo e anÃlises descritivas foram utilizadas (mÃdia  erro padrÃo) para verificar o comportamento do fluxo de Ãxido nitroso. Os tratamentos afetaram significativamente a Ãrea foliar, nÃmero de folhas, massa seca da parte aÃrea, massa seca da parte radicular, nitrogÃnio da parte aÃrea e parte radicular das plantas e do solo. Para estas variÃveis o modelo de regressÃo quadrÃtico foi o que melhor se ajustou para explicar a variaÃÃo das mesmas a partir da ausÃncia e presenÃa de adubaÃÃo nitrogenada. O fluxo de Ãxido nitroso teve comportamento temporal irregular durante a fase de plÃntulas e crescente durante a fase de floraÃÃo. A aplicaÃÃo de nitrogÃnio, em dosagens superiores à recomendada, nÃo aumentou a produÃÃo do meloeiro. Da mesma forma, o cÃlculo do fator de emissÃo mostrou que a emissÃo do Ãxido nitroso (N2O), nos diferentes tratamentos, nÃo atingiu valores prejudiciais ao ambiente. / The melon is a vegetable of great importance for the Brazilian Northeast: the region largest national producer. However, to obtain high productivity requires the use of inputs that can be harmful to the environment; of these, nitrogen fertilizers. These fertilizers release nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. Given the importance of climate change, this paper proposes to assess the emission of nitrous in oxide yellow melon 'Goldex' cultivation fertilized with nitrogen fertilizer, at 5 and 15 days after transplanting. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) with five replications. The four treatments were defined as follows: 0 (control), 1.0; 1.5 to 2 times the amount of nitrogen is recommended for each stage of this culture mentioned above. The variables analyzed were leaf area, leaf number, shoot dry weight, dry weight of the fruit, dry mass of roots, nitrous oxide flow, total soil nitrogen, plants and N (NH4+ and NO3-) soil. The variables related to plant development were subjected to regression analysis and descriptive analyzes were used (mean  standard error) for checking the nitrous oxide flow behavior. The treatments significantly affected leaf area, leaf number, dry weight of shoots, dry mass of roots, nitrogen from the shoot, nitrogen from the root of the plants and soil nitrogen. For these variables the quadratic regression model was the best fit to explain the variation of the same from the absence and presence of nitrogen fertilization. Nitrous oxide flow had irregular temporal behavior during the phase of seedlings and growing during the flowering phase. The balance of applied N revealed that only a small portion of the nutrient was recovered. The application of nitrogen in higher than recommended dosages, did not increase the production of melon. Similarly, the calculation of the emission factor showed that the emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the treatments did not reach values harmful to the environment.

As of March 2016, GRID Alternatives’ 179 solar electric system installations on low-income housing contributed 103 metric tons of carbon (MT CO2e) emissions reduction for the climate action plans’ Energy or Renewable Energy climate action measures that pertain to solar electric installations in the cities of: Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Paso Robles, and San Luis Obispo and San Luis Obispo County. In 2007, the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) created a team of government agencies to design climate action plans (CAP) that met the emission reduction goals set out by AB 32 and the 2008 Climate Change Scoping Plan (Rincon Consultants, 2014, p. 1-2). Each CAP outlines its greenhouse gas (GHG) baseline emissions and GHG emissions reduction targets in metric tons of carbon (MT CO2e) and identifies climate action measures to reach GHG emissions reduction targets. The climate action measure that pertains to Energy or Renewable Energy, specifically solar electric system installations, is examined in this study. GRID Alternatives, a non-profit solar installer that implements its Solar Affordable Housing Program, was selected by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in 2008, to serve as the statewide program manager for the California Solar Initiative’s $108 million incentive program called the Single-family Affordable Solar Homes (SASH) program, which is the country's first dedicated solar rebate program for low-income families (GRID, 2016a, p. 2). In 2010, GRID Alternatives opened its Central Coast office in Atascadero to serve five central coast counties and tracks CO2 emission reductions for each installation. My objective is to determine the impact that GRID Alternatives’ solar electric installations in the cities of Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Paso Robles, and San Luis Obispo and in San Luis Obispo County have on their respective CAPs’ GHG emissions reduction targets for the Energy or Renewable Energy climate action measure that pertains to solar electric installations.

Nitrogen (N) fluxes show a substantial variability at the landscape scale. Emissions are transferred by atmospheric, hydrological and anthropogenic dispersion between different landscape elements or ecosystems, e.g. farms, fields, forests or moorland. These landscape N fluxes can cause impacts to the environment, such as loss of biodiversity. The aim of this study is to illustrate how landscape N fluxes can be quantified by integrating atmospheric and fluvial fluxes in a Scottish landscape of 6 km x 6 km that contains intensively managed poultry farming, extensively managed beef and sheep farming, semi-natural moorland and woodland. Atmospheric ammonia (NH3) emissions of two deep pit free range layer poultry houses were estimated by high time-resolution measurements of NH3 concentrations and meteorological variables downwind of layer poultry houses and the application of an inverse Gaussian plume model. Atmospheric NH3 concentrations and deposition fluxes across the study landscape were studied at a resolution of 25 m x 25 m. The approach combined a detailed landscape inventory of all farm activities providing high resolution NH3 emission estimates for atmospheric dispersion modelling and an intensive measurement programme of spatial NH3 concentrations for verifying modelled NH3 concentrations. The spatially diverse emission pattern resulted in a high spatial variability of modelled mean annual NH3 concentrations (0.3 to 77.9 μg NH3 m-3) and dry deposition fluxes (0.1 to >100 kg NH3-N ha-1 yr-1) within the landscape. Annual downstream fluxes and variation in spatial concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (NH4 + and NO3 -) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) were studied in the two main catchments within the study landscape (agricultural grassland vs. semi-natural moorland catchment). The grassland catchment was associated with an annual downstream total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) flux of 14.4 kg N ha-1 yr-1, which was 66% higher than the flux of 8.7 kg ha-1 yr-1 from the moorland catchment. This difference was largely due to the NO3 - flux being one order of magnitude higher in the grassland catchment. The contribution of DON to the TDN flux varied between the catchments with 49% in the grassland and 81% in the moorland catchment. Fluvial and atmospheric N fluxes were combined to derive N budgets of the two catchments. Agricultural activities accounted for the majority of N input to the catchments, with atmospheric deposition also playing a significant role, especially in the moorland catchment. Both catchments showed large stream export fluxes compared to their net import which suggests that their capacity of N storage is limited. This thesis quantifies major N fluxes in a study landscape and shows their large spatial variability. Agricultural activities dominate landscape N dynamics. The work demonstrates the importance of considering landscape N variability when attempting to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural activities.

A criação de camarões marinhos em cativeiro tem sido acusada de causar sérios impactos ambientais, sobretudo em função do lançamento de grandes quantidades de nutrientes e metais pesados nas águas estuarinas. Diversos estudos realizados nos principais estados produtores de camarão no Brasil, através do uso de fatores de emissão, estimaram as cargas destes poluentes para seus principais estuários. Neles ficou caracterizada a importância desta atividade como fonte de nutrientes, uma vez que a carcinicultura dominou as emissões de nitrogênio para os estuários dos rios Açu (RN) e Jaguaribe (CE). Ocorre que esses estudos consideraram a forma de cultivo de camarão, predominante há alguns anos, a qual estava baseada em uma produção intensiva. Desta forma, devem ser consideradas as alterações nos processos produtivos dessa atividade, e precisam ser determinados novos fatores de emissão. O estuário do rio Potengi (RN), objeto de estudo, apresenta características que o tornam bastante susceptível a elevadas depreciações da qualidade de suas águas, pelo fato de nessa bacia hidrográfica estar implantada a capital do estado, cidade com maiores contingente populacional e grau de urbanização do RN. O presente trabalho trata da determinação de novos fatores de emissão relativos a nutrientes e a metais pesados para a carcinicultura, com base na realidade atual desta atividade no estuário do rio Potengi e avalia, também a importância da carcinicultura como fonte de nutrientes e metais pesados para o referido estuário. Estes novos fatores de emissão foram determinados e serviram como base para estimativa da carga anual da carcinicultura; também foram determinadas as cargas de outras fontes naturais e antrópicas presentes no ecossistema de estudo o que permitiu verificar que a carcinicultura, apesar de não ser a atividade predominante, constitui fonte ) importante de nitrogênio (5,28%), cobre (10,54%) e zinco (14,04%). / The creation of marine shrimp in captivity has been blamed for causing serious environmental impacts, particularly through the release of large amounts of nutrients and heavy metals in estuarine waters. Several studies in the major shrimp-producing states in Brazil, through the use of emission factors, estimated the loads of these pollutants to their main estuaries. In them was a characteristic aspect of this activity as a source of nutrients, since the carciniculture dominated the emission of nitrogen to the estuaries of the Acu (RN) and Jaguaribe (CE). It turns out that these studies considered the form of shrimp farming, prevalent a few years ago, which was based on an intensive production. Thus, should be considered the changes in production processes of this activity, and need to be certain new emission factors. The estuary Potengi (RN), the object of study, has characteristics which make it very susceptible to high depreciation of the quality of the water, because this basin has been introduced to the state capital city with the highest overall population and degree of urbanization of the RN. This paper deals with the new emission factors for nutrients and heavy metals in the carciniculture, based on the current reality of this activity in the estuary Potengi and evaluates also the importance of carciniculture as a source of nutrients and heavy metals in that estuary. These new emission factors were determined and served as a basis to estimate the annual load of carciniculture, were also determined loads of other natural and anthropogenic sources in the ecosystem of the study that showed that the carciniculture, though not the predominant activity, constitutes an important source of nitrogen (5.28%), copper (10.54%) and zinc (14.04%).