Stable carbon isotopic composition of biomass burning emissions – implications for estimating the contribution of C3 and C4 plants

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Dusek ◽  
Roland Vernooij ◽  
Anupam Shaikat ◽  
Chenxi Qiu ◽  
Elena Popa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope ◽  
Carbon Isotopic Composition ◽  
Combustion Process ◽  
C4 Plants ◽  
C3 Plants ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
C3 And C4 Plants ◽  
First Results

<p>Biomass burning on the African continent emits large amounts of CO<sub>2</sub>, CO, and aerosols. Our aim is to use measurements of the stable carbon isotope <sup>13</sup>C in organic carbon, CO and CO<sub>2</sub> in biomass burning smoke to estimate the contribution of C3 plants (trees and bushes) and C4 plants (mainly Savannah grass), which have very distinct <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios. This is possible, if <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios are not significantly altered by the combustion process. This assumption is investigated in a series of laboratory experiments, where C3 and C4 plants (corn and willow wood), or C3-C4 plant mixtures are burned. The laboratory results are used to interpret the results of pilot studies of smoke sampled in African savannah fires.</p><p> </p><p>First results from the laboratory studies indicate that organic carbon (OC) from combustion of willow or corn shows <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios comparable to the burned plant material. For combustion of willow (C3), the <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios in OC tend to be slightly higher than in the wood fuel, depending on combustion conditions. For combustion of corn <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios of OC tend to be slightly lower than in the fuel. For mixtures of willow and corn the relationship between <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios in the emitted organic carbon and the fuel mixture is slightly non-linear: For a 50-50% oak wood and corn mixture the <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratio in OC is closer to that of corn than that of willow. First results from pilot field studies indicate that a larger fraction of OC comes from trees and bushes, although mainly Savannah grass is burned in the investigated fires.</p>

scholarly journals Stable carbon isotopic composition of biomass burning emissions – implications for estimating the contribution of C3 and C4 plants

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roland Vernooij ◽  
Ulrike Dusek ◽  
Maria Elena Popa ◽  
Peng Yao ◽  
Anupam Shaikat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Isotopic Composition ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Combustion Products ◽  
C4 Plants ◽  
C3 Plants ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Atmospheric Measurements ◽  
C3 And C4 Plants ◽  
Large Variability

Abstract. Landscape fires are a significant contributor to atmospheric burdens of greenhouse gases and aerosols. Although many studies have looked at biomass burning products and their fate in the atmosphere, estimating and tracing atmospheric pollution from landscape fires based on atmospheric measurements is challenging due to the large variability in fuel composition and burning conditions. Stable carbon isotopes in biomass burning (BB) emissions can be used to trace the contribution of C3 plants (e.g., trees or shrubs) and C4 plants (e.g. savanna grasses) to various combustion products. However, there are still many uncertainties regarding changes in isotopic composition (also known as fractionation) of the emitted carbon compared to the burnt fuel during the pyrolysis and combustion processes. To study BB isotope fractionation, we performed a series of laboratory fire experiments in which we burned pure C3 and C4 plants as well as mixtures of the two. Using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), we measured stable carbon isotope signatures in the pre-fire fuels and post-fire residual char, as well as in the CO2, CO, CH4, organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC) emissions, which together constitute over 98 % of the post-fire carbon. Our laboratory tests indicated substantial isotopic fractionation in combustion products compared to the fuel, which varied between the measured fire products. CO2, EC and residual char were the most reliable tracers of the fuel 13C signature. CO in particular showed a distinct dependence on burning conditions; flaming emissions were enriched in 13C compared to smouldering combustion emissions. For CH4 and OC, the fractionation was opposite for C3 emissions (13C-enriched) and C4 emissions (13C-depleted). This indicates that while it is possible to distinguish between fires that were dominated by either C3 or C4 fuels using these tracers, it is more complicated to quantify their relative contribution to a mixed-fuel-fire based on the δ13C signature of emissions. Besides laboratory experiments, we sampled gases and carbonaceous aerosols from prescribed fires in the Niassa special Reserve (NSR) in Mozambique, using an unmanned aerial system (UAS)-mounted sampling set-up. We also provide a range of C3 : C4 contributions to the fuel and measured the fuel isotopic signatures. While both OC and EC were useful tracers of the C3 to C4 fuel ratio in mixed fires in the lab, we found particularly OC to be depleted compared to the calculated fuel signal in the field experiments. This suggests that either our fuel measurements were incomprehensive and underestimated the C3 : C4 ratio in the field, or that other processes caused this depletion. Although additional field measurements are needed, our results indicate that C3 vs C4 source ratio estimation is possible with most BB products, albeit with varying uncertainty ranges.

scholarly journals Measurement report: Source characteristics of water-soluble organic carbon in PM<sub>2.5</sub> at two sites in Japan, as assessed by long-term observation and stable carbon isotope ratio

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 11815-11828
Author(s):  
Nana Suto ◽  
Hiroto Kawashima
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Rice Straw ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Rural Site ◽  
C3 Plants ◽  
Water Soluble Organic Carbon ◽  
Soluble Organic Carbon ◽  
Suburban Site

Abstract. The sources and seasonal trends of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) in carbonaceous aerosols are of significant interest. From July 2017 to July 2019, we collected samples of PM2.5 (particulate matter, aerodynamic diameter<2.5 µm) from one suburban and one rural site in Japan. The average δ13CWSOC was -25.2±1.1 ‰ and -24.6±2.4 ‰ at the suburban site and rural site, respectively. At the suburban site, the δ13CWSOC was consistent with the δ13C of burned C3 plants, and a high correlation was found between WSOC concentrations and non-sea-salt potassium concentrations; these results suggest that the main source of WSOC at this site was biomass burning of rice straw. At the rural site, the average δ13CWSOC was significantly heavier from autumn to spring (-23.9±2.1 ‰) than in summer (-27.4±0.7 ‰) (p<0.01). The δ13CWSOC from autumn to spring was consistent with that of biomass burning of rice straw, whereas that in summer was considered to reflect mainly the formation of secondary organic aerosols from biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The heaviest δ13CWSOC (-21.3±1.9 ‰) was observed from February to April 2019, which may be explained by long-range transport of C4 plant burning such as corn from overseas. Thus, the present study indicates that δ13CWSOC is potentially useful for elucidating the sources and atmospheric processes that contribute to seasonal variations of WSOC concentration.

scholarly journals Tracing terrestrial versus marine sources of dissolved organic carbon in a coastal bay using stable carbon isotopes

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shin-Ah Lee ◽  
Tae-Hoon Kim ◽  
Guebuem Kim
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Dissolved Organic Carbon ◽  
Coastal Waters ◽  
High Salinity ◽  
Carbon Isotopic Composition ◽  
C3 Plants ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Coastal Bay

Abstract. The sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in coastal waters are diverse, and they play different roles in the biogeochemistry and ecosystems of the ocean. In this study, we measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON), the stable carbon isotopic composition of dissolved organic carbon (δ13C-DOC), and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) in coastal bay waters surrounded by large cities (Masan Bay, Republic of Korea) to determine the different DOM sources in this region. The surface seawater samples were collected in two sampling campaigns (August 2011 and August 2016). The salinities were in the range of 10–21 in 2011 and 25–32 in 2016. In 2011, excess DOC was observed in high-salinity (16–21) waters; the excess DOC source was found to be mainly from marine autochthonous production according to the δ13C-DOC values (−23.7 ‰ to −20.6 ‰), the higher concentrations of protein-like FDOM, and the lower DOC∕DON (C∕N) ratios (8–15). In contrast, excess DOC observed in high-salinity waters in 2016 was characterized by low FDOM, more depleted δ13C values (−28.8 ‰ to −21.1 ‰), and high C∕N ratios (13–45), suggesting that the source of excess DOC is terrestrial C3 plants by direct land–seawater interactions. Our results show that multiple DOM tracers such as δ13C-DOC, FDOM, and C∕N ratios are powerful for determining different sources of DOM occurring in coastal waters.

scholarly journals Diurnal variations of organic molecular tracers and stable carbon isotopic composition in atmospheric aerosols over Mt. Tai in the North China Plain: an influence of biomass burning

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 8359-8375 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Q. Fu ◽  
K. Kawamura ◽  
J. Chen ◽  
J. Li ◽  
Y. L. Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
North China Plain ◽  
North China ◽  
Carbon Isotopic Composition ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Carbon Isotopic ◽  
The North ◽  
The North China Plain

Abstract. Organic tracer compounds, as well as organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), and stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) of total carbon (TC) have been investigated in aerosol samples collected during early and late periods of the Mount Tai eXperiment 2006 (MTX2006) field campaign in the North China Plain. Total solvent-extractable fractions were investigated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. More than 130 organic compounds were detected in the aerosol samples. They were grouped into twelve organic compound classes, including biomass burning tracers, biogenic primary sugars, biogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA) tracers, and anthropogenic tracers such as phthalates, hopanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In early June when the field burning activities of wheat straws in the North China Plain were very active, the total identified organics (2090 ± 1170 ng m−3) were double those in late June (926 ± 574 ng m−3). All the compound classes were more abundant in early June than in late June, except phthalate esters, which were higher in late June. Levoglucosan (88–1210 ng m−3, mean 403 ng m−3) was found as the most abundant single compound in early June, while diisobutyl phthalate was the predominant species in late June. During the biomass-burning period in early June, the diurnal trends of most of the primary and secondary organic aerosol tracers were characterized by the concentration peaks observed at mid-night or in early morning, while in late June most of the organic species peaked in late afternoon. This suggests that smoke plumes from biomass burning can uplift the aerosol particulate matter to a certain altitude, which could be further transported to and encountered the summit of Mt. Tai during nighttime. On the basis of the tracer-based method for the estimation of biomass-burning OC, fungal-spore OC and biogenic secondary organic carbon (SOC), we estimate that an average of 24% (up to 64%) of the OC in the Mt. Tai aerosols was due to biomass burning in early June, followed by the contribution of isoprene SOC (mean 4.3%). In contrast, isoprene SOC was the main contributor (6.6%) to OC, and only 3.0% of the OC was due to biomass burning in late June. In early June, δ13C of TC (−26.6 to −23.2‰, mean −25.0‰) were lower than those (−23.9 to −21.9‰, mean −22.9‰) in late June. In addition, a strong anti-correlation was found between levoglucosan and δ13C values. This study demonstrates that crop-residue burning activities can significantly enhance the organic aerosol loading and alter the organic composition and stable carbon isotopic composition of aerosol particles in the troposphere over the North China Plain.

Stable carbon isotope variation in C3 and C4 plants along the Amazon River

Nature ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 353 (6339) ◽  
pp. 57-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz A. Martinelli ◽  
Allan H. Devol ◽  
Reynaldo L. Victoria ◽  
Jeffrey E. Richey
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Isotope ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope ◽  
C4 Plants ◽  
Amazon River ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
C3 And C4 Plants ◽  
Isotope Variation

scholarly journals Past climate variations recorded in needle-like aragonites correlate with organic carbon burial efficiency as revealed by lake sediments in Croatia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Razum ◽  
Petra Bajo ◽  
Dea Brunović ◽  
Nikolina Ilijanić ◽  
Ozren Hasan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope ◽  
Climate Variations ◽  
Before Present ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Climate Trends ◽  
Geochemical Proxies ◽  
Carbon Burial ◽  
Organic Carbon Burial ◽  
Burial Efficiency

AbstractThe drivers of organic carbon (OC) burial efficiency are still poorly understood despite their key role in reliable projections of future climate trends. Here, we provide insights on this issue by presenting a paleoclimate time series of sediments, including the OC contents, from Lake Veliko jezero, Croatia. The Sr/Ca ratios of the bulk sediment are mainly derived from the strontium (Sr) and calcium (Ca) concentrations of needle-like aragonite in Core M1-A and used as paleotemperature and paleohydrology indicators. Four major and six minor cold and dry events were detected in the interval from 8.3 to 2.6 calibrated kilo anno before present (cal ka BP). The combined assessment of Sr/Ca ratios, OC content, carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios, stable carbon isotope (δ13C) ratios, and modeled geochemical proxies for paleoredox conditions and aeolian input revealed that cold and dry climate states promoted anoxic conditions in the lake, thereby enhancing organic matter preservation and increasing the OC burial efficiency. Our study shows that the projected future increase in temperature might play an important role in the OC burial efficiency of meromictic lakes.

scholarly journals Stable Carbon Isotopic Composition in Annual Rings of a Pine Tree (Pinus Densiflora) from Yeongwol, Korea: Possible Application to Climate Study

Radiocarbon ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 373-381
Author(s):  
Chi-Hwan Kim ◽  
Jang Hoon Lee ◽  
Jin Kang ◽  
Sujin Song ◽  
Myung-ho Yun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Rings ◽  
Pinus Densiflora ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope ◽  
Carbon Isotopic Composition ◽  
Precipitation Data ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Carbon Isotopic ◽  
Pine Tree ◽  
Paleoclimate Proxy

AbstractStable carbon isotope ratios were measured on the alpha-cellulose in tree rings of a pine tree (Pinus densiflora) from Yeongwol, Korea. We developed an annual-resolution δ13C series (1835–1905) by correcting the measured data for changes in δ13C of air to minimize non-climatic influences. To investigate the climatic signal in the δ13C series, we performed correlation analysis between δ13C and the Cheugugi climate data. The Cheugugi precipitation data were first recorded by King Sejong (1397–1450) of the Joseon Dynasty. However, the longest set of precipitation data available is the one collected in Seoul (1776–1907). Although many studies support the reliability of the Cheugugi data, no previous studies have investigated the potential of the δ13C signal in tree rings as paleoclimate proxy using the Cheugugi data. Recent precipitation trends in Yeongwol are quite similar to that of Seoul, and we found significant correlations between the Cheugugi data and the δ13C series. We suggest further studies to replicate these results and confirm whether comparing δ13C variations in tree rings and Cheugugi data is a useful method of investigating the potential of the δ13C signal as a paleoclimate proxy in or near the Korean peninsula.

Increase in soil stable carbon isotope ratio relates to loss of organic carbon: results from five long-term bare fallow experiments

Oecologia ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 177 (3) ◽  
pp. 811-821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Menichetti ◽  
Sabine Houot ◽  
Folkert van Oort ◽  
Thomas Kätterer ◽  
Bent T. Christensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Carbon Isotope ◽  
Isotope Ratio ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope ◽  
Carbon Isotope Ratio ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope Ratio ◽  
Bare Fallow
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