Full Text

Turn on search term navigation

Copyright Copernicus GmbH 2017

Abstract

Organic gases emitted during the flaming phase of residential wood combustion are characterized individually and by functionality using proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The evolution of the organic gases is monitored during photochemical aging. Primary gaseous emissions are dominated by oxygenated species (e.g., acetic acid, acetaldehyde, phenol and methanol), many of which have deleterious health effects and play an important role in atmospheric processes such as secondary organic aerosol formation and ozone production. Residential wood combustion emissions differ considerably from open biomass burning in both absolute magnitude and relative composition. Ratios of acetonitrile, a potential biomass burning marker, to CO are considerably lower ( ∼ 0.09pptvppbv<sup>-1</sup>) than those observed in air masses influenced by open burning ( ∼ 1-2pptvppbv<sup>-1</sup>), which may make differentiation from background levels difficult, even in regions heavily impacted by residential wood burning. A considerable amount of formic acid forms during aging ( ∼ 200-600mgkg<sup>-1</sup> at an OH exposure of (4.5-5.5) × 10<sup>7</sup>moleccm<sup>-3</sup>h), indicating residential wood combustion can be an important local source for this acid, the quantities of which are currently underestimated in models. Phthalic anhydride, a naphthalene oxidation product, is also formed in considerable quantities with aging ( ∼ 55-75mgkg<sup>-1</sup> at an OH exposure of (4.5-5.5) × 10<sup>7</sup>moleccm<sup>-3</sup>h). Although total NMOG emissions vary by up to a factor of ∼ 9 between burns, SOA formation potential does not scale with total NMOG emissions and is similar in all experiments. This study is the first thorough characterization of both primary and aged organic gases from residential wood combustion and provides a benchmark for comparison of emissions generated under different burn parameters.

Details

Title
Characterization of gas-phase organics using proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry: fresh and aged residential wood combustion emissions
Author
Bruns, Emily A; Slowik, Jay G; Imad El Haddad; Kilic, Dogushan; Klein, Felix; Dommen, Josef; Temime-Roussel, Brice; Marchand, Nicolas; Baltensperger, Urs; Prévôt, André S H
Pages
705-720
Publication year
2017
Publication date
2017
Publisher
Copernicus GmbH
ISSN
16807316
e-ISSN
16807324
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
1858608348
Copyright
Copyright Copernicus GmbH 2017