scholarly journals Assessing the Effects of Household Wood Burning on Particulate Matter in Rwanda

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-37
Author(s):  
Elisephane IRANKUNDA ◽  
Jimmy GASORE
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Wood Burning

Organic functional group composition of particulate matter from fresh and aged wood burning and coal combustion

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Yazdani ◽  
Nikunj Dudani ◽  
Satoshi Takahama ◽  
Amelie Bertrand ◽  
André S. H. Prévôt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Infrared Spectra ◽  
Atmospheric Aerosols ◽  
Coal Combustion ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
High Abundance ◽  
Mid Infrared ◽  
Aerosol Mass ◽  
Wood Burning

<p>Particulate matter (PM) affects visibility and climate through light scattering, direct and indirect radiative forcing, and affecting cloud formation [1]. In addition, exposure to ambient fine PM is estimated to have caused 8.9 million deaths worldwide in 2015 [2]. Organic matter (OM), can make up more than half of total fine atmospheric PM, and yet its composition, formation mechanisms, and adverse health effects are not fully characterized due to its sheer compositional complexity. Biomass burning (e.g., residential wood burning, wildfires, and prescribed burning) and coal combustion (for heat and power generation) are two major OM sources, for which the impact of atmospheric aging - including secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation - is not yet fully clear [3].</p><p>In this study, we investigated the effect of aging on composition and mass concentration of organic aerosols of wood burning (WB) and coal combustion (CC) emissions using two complementary methods, i.e., mid-infrared spectroscopy and aerosol mass spectrometry (AMS). For this purpose, primary aerosols were injected into the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) environmental chamber and aged using hydroxyl and nitrate radicals to simulate day-time and night-time oxidation processes in the atmosphere. In these experiments, aerosols reached an oxidative age comparable to that of atmospheric aerosols. A time-of-flight AMS instrument was used to measure the high-time-resolution composition of non-refractory fine PM, while we collected PM<sub>1 </sub>aerosols on PTFE filters before and after four hours of aging for off-line Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) measurements.</p><p>AMS and FT-IR estimates of organic aerosol mass concentration were highly correlated (r<sup>2</sup>=0.92); both indicating an approximately three-fold increase in organic aerosol concentration after aging. The OM/OC ratio, indicating the extent of oxidation also agreed closely between the two instruments and increased, on average, from 1.6 (before aging) to 2 (after aging). Mid-infrared spectroscopy, which is able to differentiate among oxygenated species, shows a distinct functional group composition for aged WB aerosols (high abundance of carboxylic acids) and CC aerosols (high abundance of non-acid carbonyls) and detects considerable amounts polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for both sources. Mid-infrared spectra of fresh WB and CC aerosols are reminiscent of their parent compounds with differences in specific functional groups suggesting the dominant oxidation pathways for each emission source. Finally, the comparison of mid-infrared spectra of aged WB aerosols in the environmental chamber with that of ambient samples affected by residential wood burning and wildfires reveals interesting similarities regarding the high abundance of alcohols and visible signatures of lignin. This finding is useful for interpreting sources of atmospheric aerosols and better interpretation of their complex mid-infrared spectra.</p><p>--------------------------</p><p>REFERENCES</p><p>[1] M. Hallquist et al., “The formation, properties and impact of secondary organic aerosol: current and emerging issues,” Atmos Chem Phys, 2009.</p><p>[2] R. Burnett et al., “Global estimates of mortality associated with long-term exposure to outdoor fine particulate matter,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2018.</p><p>[3] A. Bertrand et al., “Primary emissions and secondary aerosol production potential from woodstoves for residential heating: Influence of the stove technology and combustion efficiency,” Atmos. Environ., 2017.</p>

Land-Use Regression Models of Particulate Matter in Temuco, Chile Due to Residential Wood Burning

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Cortez ◽  
Carola A Blazquez ◽  
Maria Elisa Quinteros ◽  
Siyao Lu ◽  
Francisco Rubilar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Land Use Regression ◽  
Wood Burning

scholarly journals In situ, satellite measurement and model evidence on the dominant regional contribution to fine particulate matter levels in the Paris megacity

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (16) ◽  
pp. 9577-9591 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Beekmann ◽  
A. S. H. Prévôt ◽  
F. Drewnick ◽  
J. Sciare ◽  
S. N. Pandis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Satellite Measurement ◽  
Fine Particulate ◽  
Wood Burning ◽  
Air Pollution Regulation

Abstract. A detailed characterization of air quality in the megacity of Paris (France) during two 1-month intensive campaigns and from additional 1-year observations revealed that about 70 % of the urban background fine particulate matter (PM) is transported on average into the megacity from upwind regions. This dominant influence of regional sources was confirmed by in situ measurements during short intensive and longer-term campaigns, aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements from ENVISAT, and modeling results from PMCAMx and CHIMERE chemistry transport models. While advection of sulfate is well documented for other megacities, there was surprisingly high contribution from long-range transport for both nitrate and organic aerosol. The origin of organic PM was investigated by comprehensive analysis of aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS), radiocarbon and tracer measurements during two intensive campaigns. Primary fossil fuel combustion emissions constituted less than 20 % in winter and 40 % in summer of carbonaceous fine PM, unexpectedly small for a megacity. Cooking activities and, during winter, residential wood burning are the major primary organic PM sources. This analysis suggests that the major part of secondary organic aerosol is of modern origin, i.e., from biogenic precursors and from wood burning. Black carbon concentrations are on the lower end of values encountered in megacities worldwide, but still represent an issue for air quality. These comparatively low air pollution levels are due to a combination of low emissions per inhabitant, flat terrain, and a meteorology that is in general not conducive to local pollution build-up. This revised picture of a megacity only being partially responsible for its own average and peak PM levels has important implications for air pollution regulation policies.

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