Environmental impact of amines from CO2 capture.

A first introductory workshop was held to establish the knowledge of emissions of amines to air and the effects on the environment. This report is a synthesis of this meeting. The level of knowledge of the fate and effect of theemissions is low. The technology for CO2 capture by the use of amines is being developed, and different candidates and combination of candidates are being investigated. The information that came forward was that the amines when emitted would enter into the chemical reactions in the atmosphere and have the potential of being chemically transformed into substances such as nitrosamines that is carcinogenic. There are many other substances that may be formed, but the rate of formation is not known, and more work is needed to answer crucial questions.