ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURAL WASTE COMBUSTION FOR BIOENERGY: A TOXICITY AND EMISSION REVIEW

This study examines the environmental and health impacts caused by the release of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the combustion of biomass and agricultural waste. Today, bioenergy plays a crucial role in global energy systems, accounting for 70 % of renewable energy consumption, 9.5 % of total primary energy supply, and 13 % of global gross final energy consumption. However, environmental pollution remains one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, with serious implications for human health, biodiversity, and climate change. PAHs, released during the incomplete combustion of organic fuels, are particularly concerning due to their carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. This review aims to evaluate the emissions of PAHs during biomass combustion, with a focus on fuel types and combustion conditions. It synthesizes data from over 30 contemporary scientific sources, comprehensively analysing PAH formation and distribution in flue gases, and identifies the key factors influencing these emissions.