Aerosol Pollution from Biomass Burning

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Air Pollution and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 2004

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
California Air Resources Board, Riverside, CA, USA
Interests: atmospheric aerosol; environmental analytical chemistry; biomass burning; bioaerosol; vehicle emissions
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomass burning is the dominant source of carbonaceous aerosol, affecting regional air quality and global climate, and thus directly and indirectly impacting human health. Combustion of biomass takes place in one form or another in essentially every part of the globe, such as through open burning of agricultural residues, slash-and-burn practices, grassland and forest fires, as well as residential combustion of biofuels in stoves and fireplaces for cooking and heating. Thus, large amounts of aerosol particles and gaseous pollutants are emitted into the atmosphere, which can be transported thousands of kilometers away from the source areas, affecting even remote regions, while undergoing chemical and physical transformations. Consequently, physico-chemical and toxicological characteristics of biomass burning aerosols are complex and highly variable.

This Special Issue, therefore, aims to disseminate the latest research findings from either field or modeling studies, investigating the inherent properties of smoke emissions from different types of biomass burning, including wildfires, prescribed burning or domestic biofuel combustion. Authors are invited to submit manuscripts reporting results from ambient air measurements, controlled combustion experiments, as well as targeted health effects studies. Review papers are welcome as well. Ultimately, we hope to convey with this Special Issue a better understanding of the chemical, physical and toxicological properties of aerosol emissions from biomass burning processes to scientists across various disciplines.

Dr. Guenter Engling
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • biomass burning
  • biofuel combustion
  • wildfires
  • smoke emissions
  • aerosol particles
  • health effects

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

13 pages, 4741 KiB  
Article
Broadband Cavity-Enhanced Absorption Spectroscopy (BBCEAS) Coupled with an Interferometer for On-Band and Off-Band Detection of Glyoxal
by Callum E. Flowerday, Ryan Thalman, Matthew C. Asplund and Jaron C. Hansen
Toxics 2024, 12(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12010026 - 28 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1559
Abstract
Glyoxal (CHOCHO) is a trace gas in the atmosphere, often used as an indicator of biogenic emissions. It is frequently compared to formaldehyde concentrations, which serve as indicators of anthropogenic emissions, to gain insights into the characteristics of the environmental source. This study [...] Read more.
Glyoxal (CHOCHO) is a trace gas in the atmosphere, often used as an indicator of biogenic emissions. It is frequently compared to formaldehyde concentrations, which serve as indicators of anthropogenic emissions, to gain insights into the characteristics of the environmental source. This study employed broadband cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy to detect gaseous CHOCHO, methylglyoxal, and NO2. Two different detection methods are compared. Spectrograph and CCD Detection: This approach involves coupling the system to a spectrograph with a charge-coupled device (CCD) detector. It achieved a 1 min 1-σ detection limit of 2.5 × 108 molecules/cm3, or 10 parts per trillion (ppt). Methylglyoxal and NO2 achieved 1 min 1-σ detection limits of 34 ppt and 22 ppt, respectively. Interferometer and PMT Detection: In this method, an interferometer is used in conjunction with a photomultiplier tube (PMT) detector. It resulted in a 2 min 1-σ detection limit of 1.5 × 1010 molecules/cm3, or 600 ppt. The NO2 2 min 1-σ detection limit was determined to be 900 ppt. Concentrations of methylglyoxal were difficult to determine using this method, as they appeared to be below the detection limit of the instrument. This study discusses the advantages and limitations of each of these detection methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerosol Pollution from Biomass Burning)
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