scholarly journals Sources of black carbon at residential and traffic environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanna Saarikoski ◽  
Jarkko V. Niemi ◽  
Minna Aurela ◽  
Liisa Pirjola ◽  
Anu Kousa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Carbon ◽  
Source Apportionment ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Street Canyon ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Wood Combustion ◽  
Aerosol Mass

Abstract. This study investigated the sources of black carbon (BC) at two contrasting urban environments in Helsinki, Finland; residential area and street canyon. The sources of BC were explored by using positive matrix factorization (PMF) for the organic and refractory black carbon (rBC) mass spectra collected with a soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SP-AMS). Two sites had different local BC sources; the largest fraction of BC originated from biomass burning at the residential site (38 %) and from the vehicular emissions at the street canyon (57 %). Also, the mass size distribution of BC diverged at the sites as BC from traffic was found at the particle size of ~100–150 nm whereas BC from biomass combustion was detected at ~300 nm. At both sites, a large fraction of BC was associated with urban background or long-range transported BC indicated by the high oxidation state of organics related to those PMF factors. The results from the PMF analysis were compared with the source apportionment from the aethalometer model calculated with two pair of absorption Ångström values. It was found that several PMF factors can be attributed to wood combustion and fossil fuel fraction of BC provided by the aethalometer model. In general, the aethalometer model showed less variation between the sources within a day than PMF being less responsive to the fast changes in the BC sources at the site. The results of this study increase understanding of the limitations and validity of the BC source apportionment methods in different environments. Moreover, this study advances the current knowledge of BC sources and especially the contribution of residential combustion in urban areas.

scholarly journals Sources of black carbon at residential and traffic environments obtained by two source apportionment methods

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 14851-14869
Author(s):  
Sanna Saarikoski ◽  
Jarkko V. Niemi ◽  
Minna Aurela ◽  
Liisa Pirjola ◽  
Anu Kousa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Carbon ◽  
Source Apportionment ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Street Canyon ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Residential Area ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Apportionment Methods

Abstract. This study investigated the sources of black carbon (BC) at two contrasting urban environments in Helsinki, Finland: residential area and street canyon. The measurement campaign in the residential area was conducted in winter–spring 2019, whereas in the street canyon the measurements were carried out in autumn 2015. The sources of BC were explored by using positive matrix factorization (PMF) for the organic and refractory black carbon (rBC) mass spectra collected with a soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SP-AMS). Based on the PMF analysis, two sites had different local BC sources; the largest fraction of BC originated from biomass burning at the residential site (38 %) and from the vehicular emissions in the street canyon (57 %). Also, the mass size distribution of BC diverged at the sites as BC from traffic was found at the particle size of ∼100–150 nm whereas BC from biomass combustion was detected at ∼300 nm. At both sites, a large fraction of BC was associated with urban background or long-range-transported BC indicated by the high oxidation state of organics related to those PMF factors. The results from the PMF analysis were compared with the source apportionment from the Aethalometer model calculated with two pairs of absorption Ångström values. It was found that several PMF factors can be attributed to wood combustion and fossil fuel fraction of BC provided by the Aethalometer model. In general, the Aethalometer model showed less variation between the sources within a day than PMF, indicating that it was less responsive to the fast changes in the BC sources at the site, or it could not distinguish between as many sources as PMF due to the similar optical properties of the BC sources. The results of this study increase understanding of the limitations and validity of the BC source apportionment methods in different environments. Moreover, this study advances the current knowledge of BC sources and especially the contribution of residential combustion in urban areas.

scholarly journals PM<sub>1</sub> composition and source apportionment at two sites in Delhi, India, across multiple seasons

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 11655-11667
Author(s):  
Ernesto Reyes-Villegas ◽  
Upasana Panda ◽  
Eoghan Darbyshire ◽  
James M. Cash ◽  
Rutambhara Joshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Source Apportionment ◽  
Organic Aerosols ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Significant Information ◽  
Post Monsoon ◽  
Aerosol Mass ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Aerosol Source

Abstract. Air pollution in urban environments has been shown to have a negative impact on air quality and human health, particularly in megacities. Over recent decades, Delhi, India, has suffered high atmospheric pollution, with significant particulate matter (PM) concentrations as a result of anthropogenic activities. Organic aerosols (OAs) are composed of thousands of different chemical species and are one of the main constituents of submicron particles. However, quantitative knowledge of OA composition, their sources and their processes in urban environments is still limited. This is important particularly in India, as Delhi is a massive, inhomogeneous conurbation, where we would expect the apportionment and concentrations to vary depending on where in Delhi the measurements/source apportionment is performed, indicating the need for multisite measurements. This study presents the first multisite analysis carried out in India over different seasons, with a focus on identifying OA sources. The measurements were taken during 2018 at two sites in Delhi, India. One site was located at the India Meteorological Department, New Delhi (ND). The other site was located at the Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women, Old Delhi (OD). Non-refractory submicron aerosol (NR-PM1) concentrations (ammonium, nitrate, sulfate, chloride and organic aerosols) of four aerosol mass spectrometers were analysed. Collocated measurements of volatile organic compounds, black carbon, NOx and CO were performed. Positive matrix factorisation (PMF) analysis was performed to separate the organic fraction, identifying a number of conventional factors: hydrocarbon-like OAs (HOAs) related to traffic emissions, biomass burning OAs (BBOAs), cooking OAs (COAs) and secondary OAs (SOAs). A composition-based estimate of PM1 is defined by combining black carbon (BC) and NR-PM1 (C-PM1= BC + NR-PM1). No significant difference was observed in C-PM1 concentrations between sites, OD (142 ± 117 µg m−3) compared to ND (123 ± 71 µg m3), from post-monsoon measurements. A wider variability was observed between seasons, where pre-monsoon and monsoon showed C-PM1 concentrations lower than 60 µg m−3. A seasonal variation in C-PM1 composition was observed; SO42- showed a high contribution over pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, while NO3- and Cl− had a higher contribution in winter and post-monsoon. The main primary aerosol source was from traffic, which is consistent with the PMF analysis and Aethalometer model analysis. Thus, in order to reduce PM1 concentrations in Delhi through local emission controls, traffic emission control offers the greatest opportunity. PMF–aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) mass spectra will help to improve future aerosol source apportionment studies. The information generated in this study increases our understanding of PM1 composition and OA sources in Delhi, India. Furthermore, the scientific findings provide significant information to strengthen legislation that aims to improve air quality in India.

scholarly journals Study of Temporal Variations of Equivalent Black Carbon in a Coastal City in Northwest Spain Using an Atmospheric Aerosol Data Management Software

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 516
Author(s):  
María Piñeiro-Iglesias ◽  
Javier Andrade-Garda ◽  
Sonia Suárez-Garaboa ◽  
Soledad Muniategui-Lorenzo ◽  
Purificación López-Mahía ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Management ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Light Absorption ◽  
Atmospheric Aerosol ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Diurnal Variability

Light-absorbing carbonaceous aerosols (including black carbon (BC)) pose serious health issues and play significant roles in atmospheric radiative properties. Two-year measurements (2015–2016) of aerosol light absorption, combined with measurements of sub-micrometric particles, were continuously conducted in A Coruña (northwest (NW) Spain) to determine their light absorption properties: absorption coefficients (σabs) and the absorption Ångström exponent (AAE). The mean and standard deviation of equivalent black carbon (eBC) during the period of study were 0.85 ± 0.83 µg m−3, which are lower than other values measured in urban areas of Spain and Europe. High eBC concentrations found in winter are associated with an increase in emissions from anthropogenic sources in combination with lower mixing layer heights and frequent stagnant conditions. The pronounced diurnal variability suggests a strong influence from local sources. AAE had an average value of 1.26 ± 0.22 which implies that both fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning influenced optical aerosol properties. This also highlights biomass combustion in suburban areas, where the use of wood for domestic heating is encouraged, as an important source of eBC. All data treatment was gathered using SCALA© as atmospheric aerosol data management support software program.

scholarly journals Simultaneous Aerosol Mass Spectrometry and Chemical Ionisation Mass Spectrometry measurements during a biomass burning event in the UK: Insights into nitrate chemistry

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernesto Reyes-Villegas ◽  
Michael Priestley ◽  
Yu-Chieh Ting ◽  
Sophie Haslett ◽  
Thomas Bannan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Source Apportionment ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Organic Nitrate ◽  
Ionization Mass ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Aerosol Mass ◽  
Pollutant Concentrations ◽  
The Uk

Abstract. Over the past decade, there has been an increasing interest in short-term events that negatively affect air quality such as bonfires and fireworks. High aerosol and gas concentrations generated from public bonfires/fireworks were measured in order to understand the night-time chemical processes and their atmospheric implications. Nitrate chemistry was observed during the bonfire night with nitrogen containing compounds in both gas and aerosol phase and further N2O5 and ClNO2 concentrations, which depleted early next morning due to photolysis of NO3 radicals, ceasing production. Particulate organic nitrate (PON) concentrations of 2.8 μg.m−3 were estimated using the m/z 46:30 ratios from AMS measurements, according to previously published methods. ME-2 source apportionment was performed to determine organic aerosol concentrations from different sources after modifying the fragmentation table and it was possible to identify two PON factors representing primary (pPON_ME2) and secondary (sPON_ME2) contributions. A slight improvement in the agreement between the source apportionment of the AMS and a collocated AE-31 Aethalometer was observed after modifying the prescribed fragmentation in the AMS organic spectrum (the fragmentation table) to determine PON sources, which resulted in an r2 = 0.865 between BBOA and babs_470wb compared to an r2 = 0.819 obtained without the modification. Correlations between OA sources and measurements made using Time of Flight Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry with an iodide adduct ion were performed in order to determine possible gas tracers to be used in future ME-2 analyses to constrain solutions. During bonfire night, high correlations (r2) were observed between BBOA and methacrylic acid (0.915), Acrylic acid (0.901), nitrous acid (0.864), propionic acid, (0.851) and Hydrogen cyanide (0.755). A series of oxygenated species, chlorine compounds as well as cresol showed good correlations with sPON_ME2 and the low volatility oxygenated organic aerosol (LVOOA) factor during an episode with low pollutant concentrations. Further analysis of pPON_ME2 and sPON_ME2 was performed in order to determine whether these PON sources absorb light near the UV region using an Aethalometer. This hypothesis was tested by doing multilinear regressions between babs_470wb and BBOA, sPON_ME2 and pPON_ME2. Our results suggest that sPON_ME2 does not absorb light at 470 nm while pPON_ME2 and LVOOA absorb light at 470 nm over that of black carbon. This may inform black carbon (BC) source apportionment studies from Aethalometer measurements, through investigation of the brown carbon contribution to babs_470wb.

scholarly journals Wintertime aerosol chemical composition and source apportionment of the organic fraction in the metropolitan area of Paris

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 961-981 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Crippa ◽  
P. F. DeCarlo ◽  
J. G. Slowik ◽  
C. Mohr ◽  
M. F. Heringa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Carbon ◽  
Source Apportionment ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Organic Fraction ◽  
Organic Mass ◽  
Aerosol Composition ◽  
Mass Spectrometers ◽  
Particulate Pollution ◽  
Aerosol Mass ◽  
Wood Burning

Abstract. The effect of a post-industrial megacity on local and regional air quality was assessed via a month-long field measurement campaign in the Paris metropolitan area during winter 2010. Here we present source apportionment results from three aerosol mass spectrometers and two aethalometers deployed at three measurement stations within the Paris region. Submicron aerosol composition is dominated by the organic fraction (30–36%) and nitrate (28–29%), with lower contributions from sulfate (14–16%), ammonium (12–14%) and black carbon (7–13%). Organic source apportionment was performed using positive matrix factorization, resulting in a set of organic factors corresponding both to primary emission sources and secondary production. The dominant primary sources are traffic (11–15% of organic mass), biomass burning (13–15%) and cooking (up to 35% during meal hours). Secondary organic aerosol contributes more than 50% to the total organic mass and includes a highly oxidized factor from indeterminate and/or diverse sources and a less oxidized factor related to wood burning emissions. Black carbon was apportioned to traffic and wood burning sources using a model based on wavelength-dependent light absorption of these two combustion sources. The time series of organic and black carbon factors from related sources were strongly correlated. The similarities in aerosol composition, total mass and temporal variation between the three sites suggest that particulate pollution in Paris is dominated by regional factors, and that the emissions from Paris itself have a relatively low impact on its surroundings.

scholarly journals Urban increments of gaseous and aerosol pollutants and their sources using mobile aerosol mass spectrometry measurements

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 7117-7134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Elser ◽  
Carlo Bozzetti ◽  
Imad El-Haddad ◽  
Marek Maasikmets ◽  
Erik Teinemaa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Strong Increase ◽  
Equivalent Diameter ◽  
Aerosol Formation ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
Aerosol Mass ◽  
Regional Background ◽  
Mobile Measurements

Abstract. Air pollution is one of the main environmental concerns in urban areas, where anthropogenic emissions strongly affect air quality. This work presents the first spatially resolved detailed characterization of PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic equivalent diameter daero  ≤  2.5 µm) in two major Estonian cities, Tallinn and Tartu. The measurements were performed in March 2014 using a mobile platform. In both cities, the non-refractory (NR)-PM2.5 was characterized by a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) using a recently developed lens which increases the transmission of super-micron particles. Equivalent black carbon (eBC) and several trace gases including carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) were also measured. The chemical composition of PM2.5 was found to be very similar in the two cities. Organic aerosol (OA) constituted the largest fraction, explaining on average about 52 to 60 % of the PM2.5 mass. Four sources of OA were identified using positive matrix factorization (PMF): hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA, from traffic emissions), biomass burning OA (BBOA, from biomass combustion), residential influenced OA (RIOA, probably mostly from cooking processes with possible contributions from waste and coal burning), and oxygenated OA (OOA, related to secondary aerosol formation). OOA was the major OA source during nighttime, explaining on average half of the OA mass, while during daytime mobile measurements the OA was affected by point sources and dominated by the primary fraction. A strong increase in the secondary organic and inorganic components was observed during periods with transport of air masses from northern Germany, while the primary local emissions accumulated during periods with temperature inversions. Mobile measurements offered the identification of different source regions within the urban areas and the assessment of the extent to which pollutants concentrations exceeded regional background levels (urban increments). HOA, eBC, CO2, and CO showed stronger enhancements on busy roads during the morning and evening traffic rush hours; BBOA had its maximum enhancement in the residential areas during the evening hours and RIOA was enhanced in both the city center (emissions from restaurants) and in the residential areas (emissions from residential cooking). In contrast, secondary components (OOA, sulfate (SO4), nitrate (NO3), ammonium (NH4), and chloride (Cl)) had very homogeneous distributions in time and space. We were able to determine a total PM2.5 urban increment in Tartu of 6.0 µg m−3 over a regional background concentration of 4.0 µg m−3 (i.e., a factor of 2.5 increase). Traffic exhaust emissions were identified as the most important source of this increase, with eBC and HOA explaining on average 53.3 and 20.5 % of the total increment, respectively.

scholarly journals Technical note: A new approach to discriminate different black carbon sources by utilising fullerene and metals in positive matrix factorisation analysis of high-resolution soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer data

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (13) ◽  
pp. 10763-10777
Author(s):  
Zainab Bibi ◽  
Hugh Coe ◽  
James Brooks ◽  
Paul I. Williams ◽  
Ernesto Reyes-Villegas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Source Apportionment ◽  
Atmospheric Aerosol ◽  
Soot Particle ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Positive Matrix ◽  
Aerosol Mass Spectrometer ◽  
Aerosol Mass ◽  
Matrix Factorisation

Abstract. Atmospheric aerosol particles are known to have detrimental effects on human health and climate. Black carbon is an important constituent of atmospheric aerosol particulate matter (PM), emitted from incomplete combustion. Source apportionment of BC is very important, to evaluate the influence of different sources. The high-resolution soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-SP-AMS) instrument uses a laser vaporiser, which allows the real-time detection and characterisation of refractory black carbon (rBC) and its internally mixed particles such as metals, coating species, and rBC subcomponents in the form of HOA + fullerene. In this case study, the soot data were collected by using HR-SP-AMS during Guy Fawkes Night on 5 November 2014. Positive matrix factorisation was applied to positively discriminate between different wood-burning and bonfire sources for the first time, which no existing black carbon source apportionment technique is currently able to do. Along with this, the use of the fullerene signals in differentiating between soot sources and the use of metals as a tracer for fireworks has also been investigated, which did not significantly contribute to the rBC concentrations. The addition of fullerene signals and successful positive matrix factorisation (PMF) application to HR-SP-AMS data apportioned rBC into more than two sources. These bonfire sources are HOA + fullerene, biomass burning organic aerosol, more oxidised oxygenated organic aerosol (MO-OOA), and non-bonfire sources such as hydrocarbon-like OA and domestic burning. The result of correlation analysis between HR-SP-AMS data and previously published Aethalometer, MAAP, and CIMS data provides an effective way of gaining insights into the relationships between the variables and provide a quantitative estimate of the source contributions to the BC budget during this period. This research study is an important demonstration of using HR-SP-AMS for the purpose of BC source apportionment.

scholarly journals Wintertime aerosol optical and radiative properties in the Kathmandu Valley during the SusKat-ABC field campaign

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (20) ◽  
pp. 12617-12632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaeyoon Cho ◽  
Sang-Woo Kim ◽  
Maheswar Rupakheti ◽  
Jin-Soo Park ◽  
Arnico Panday ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Carbon ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Temperature Drop ◽  
Absorption Efficiency ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Kathmandu Valley ◽  
Carbonaceous Aerosols ◽  
Brick Kilns ◽  
Aerosol Mass

Abstract. Particulate air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley has reached severe levels that are mainly due to uncontrolled emissions and the location of the urban area in a bowl-shaped basin with associated local wind circulations. The AERONET measurements from December 2012 to August 2014 revealed a mean aerosol optical depth (AOD) of approximately 0.30 at 675 nm during winter, which is similar to that of the post-monsoon but half of that of the pre-monsoon AOD (0.63). The distinct seasonal variations are closely related to regional-scale monsoon circulations over South Asia and emissions in the Kathmandu Valley. During the SusKat-ABC campaign (December 2012–February 2013), a noticeable increase in both aerosol scattering (σs; 313  →  577 Mm−1 at 550 nm) and absorption (σa; 98  →  145 Mm−1 at 520 nm) coefficients occurred before and after 4 January 2013. This can be attributed to the increase in wood-burned fires due to a temperature drop and the start of firing at nearby brick kilns. The σs value in the Kathmandu Valley was a factor of 0.5 lower than that in polluted cities in India. The σa value in the Kathmandu Valley was approximately 2 times higher than that at severely polluted urban sites in India. The aerosol mass scattering efficiency of 2.6 m2 g−1 from PM10 measurements in the Kathmandu Valley is similar to that reported in urban areas. However, the aerosol mass absorption efficiency was determined to be 11 m2 g−1 from PM10 measurements, which is higher than that reported in the literature for pure soot particles (7.5 ± 1.2 m2 g−1). This might be due to the fact that most of the carbonaceous aerosols in the Kathmandu Valley were thought to be mostly externally mixed with other aerosols under dry conditions due to a short travel time from their sources. The σs and σa values and the equivalent black carbon (EBC) mass concentration reached up to 757 Mm−1, 224 Mm−1, and 29 µg m−3 at 08:00 LST (local standard time), respectively but decreased dramatically during the daytime (09:00–18:00 LST), to one-quarter of the morning average (06:00–09:00 LST) due to the development of valley winds and an atmospheric bounder layer. The σs and σa values and the EBC concentration remained almost constant during the night at the levels of 410 Mm−1, 130 Mm−1, and 17 µg m−3, respectively. The average aerosol direct radiative forcings over the intensive measurement period were estimated to be −6.9 ± 1.4 W m−2 (top of the atmosphere) and −20.8 ± 4.6 W m−2 (surface). Therefore, the high atmospheric forcing (i.e., 13.9 ± 3.6 W m−2) and forcing efficiency (74.8 ± 24.2 W m−2 τ−1) can be attributed to the high portion of light-absorbing aerosols in the Kathmandu Valley, as indicated by the high black carbon (or elemental carbon) to sulphate ratio (1.5 ± 1.1).

scholarly journals Wintertime aerosol chemical composition and source apportionment of the organic fraction in the metropolitan area of Paris

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 22535-22586 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Crippa ◽  
P. F. DeCarlo ◽  
J. G. Slowik ◽  
C. Mohr ◽  
M. F. Heringa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Carbon ◽  
Source Apportionment ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Organic Fraction ◽  
Organic Mass ◽  
Aerosol Composition ◽  
Mass Spectrometers ◽  
Particulate Pollution ◽  
Aerosol Mass ◽  
Wood Burning

Abstract. The effect of a post-industrial megacity on local and regional air quality was assessed via a month-long field measurement campaign in the Paris metropolitan area during winter 2010. Here we present source apportionment results from three aerosol mass spectrometers and two aethalometers deployed at three measurement stations within the Paris region. Submicron aerosol composition is dominated by the organic fraction (30–36%) and nitrate (28–29%), with lower contributions from sulfate (14–16%), ammonium (12–14%) and black carbon (7–13%). Organic source apportionment was performed using positive matrix factorization, resulting in a set of organic factors corresponding both to primary emission sources and secondary production. The dominant primary sources are traffic (11–15% of organic mass), biomass burning (13–15 %) and cooking (11–17% and up to 35% during meal hours). Secondary organic aerosol contributes more than 50% to the total organic mass and includes a highly oxidized factor from indeterminate and/or diverse sources and a less oxidized factor related to wood burning emissions. Black carbon was apportioned to traffic and wood burning sources using a model based on wavelength-dependent light absorption of these two combustion sources. The time series of organic and black carbon factors from related sources were strongly correlated. The similarities in aerosol composition, total mass and temporal variation between the three sites suggest that particulate pollution in Paris is dominated by regional factors, and that the emissions from Paris itself have a relatively low impact on its surroundings.

scholarly journals Comparison of several wood smoke markers and source apportionment methods for wood burning particulate mass

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 8091-8118 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Sandradewi ◽  
A. S. H. Prévôt ◽  
M. R. Alfarra ◽  
S. Szidat ◽  
M. N. Wehrli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Source Apportionment ◽  
Wood Smoke ◽  
Wood Combustion ◽  
Urban Background ◽  
Aerosol Mass Spectrometer ◽  
Aerosol Mass ◽  
Wood Burning ◽  
Fine Mode ◽  
Particulate Mass ◽  
Emission Studies

Abstract. Residential wood combustion has only recently been recognized as a major contributor to air pollution in Switzerland and in other European countries. A source apportionment method using the aethalometer light absorption parameters was applied to five winter campaigns at three sites in Switzerland: a village with high wood combustion activity in winter, an urban background site and a highway site. The particulate mass from traffic (PMtraffic) and wood burning (PMwb) emissions obtained with this model compared fairly well with results from the 14C source apportionment method. PMwb from the model was also compared to well known wood smoke markers such as anhydrosugars (levoglucosan and mannosan) and fine mode potassium, as well as to a marker recently suggested from the Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (mass fragment m/z 60). Additionally the anhydrosugars were compared to the 14C results and were shown to be comparable to literature values from wood burning emission studies using different types of wood (hardwood, softwood). The levoglucosan to PMwb ratios varied much more strongly between the different campaigns (4–13%) compared to mannosan to PMwb with a range of 1–1.5%. Possible uncertainty aspects for the various methods and markers are discussed.

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