Emissions from Laboratory Combustion of Wildland Fuels: Emission Factors and Source Profiles
- 10 May 2007
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Chemical Society (ACS) in Environmental Science & Technology
- Vol. 41 (12), 4317-4325
- https://doi.org/10.1021/es062364i
Abstract
Combustion of wildland fuels represents a major source of particulate matter (PM) and light-absorbing elemental carbon (EC) on a national and global scale, but the emission factors and source profiles have not been well characterized with respect to different fuels and combustion phases. These uncertainties limit the accuracy of current emission inventories, smoke forecasts, and source apportionments. This study investigates the evolution of gaseous and particulate emission and combustion efficiency by burning wildland fuels in a laboratory combustion facility. Emission factors for carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), total hydrocarbon (THC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), PM, light extinction and absorption cross sections, and spectral scattering cross sections specific to flaming and smoldering phases are reported. Emission factors are generally reproducible within ±20% during the flaming phase, which, despite its short duration, dominates the carbon emission (mostly in the form of CO2) and the production of light absorption and EC. Higher and more variable emission factors for CO, THC, and PM are found during the smoldering phase, especially for fuels containing substantial moisture. Organic carbon (OC) and EC mass account for a majority (i.e., >60%) of PM mass; other important elements include potassium, chlorine, and sulfur. Thermal analysis separates the EC into subfractions based on analysis temperature demonstrating that high-temperature EC (EC2; at 700 °C) varies from 1% to 70% of PM among biomass burns, compared to 75% in kerosene soot. Despite this, the conversion factor between EC and light absorption emissions is rather consistent across fuels and burns, ranging from 7.8 to 9.6 m2/gEC. Findings from this study should be considered in the development of PM and EC emission inventories for visibility and radiative forcing assessments.This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- Emissions of Levoglucosan, Methoxy Phenols, and Organic Acids from Prescribed Burns, Laboratory Combustion of Wildland Fuels, and Residential Wood CombustionEnvironmental Science & Technology, 2007
- Effects of Dilution on Fine Particle Mass and Partitioning of Semivolatile Organics in Diesel Exhaust and Wood SmokeEnvironmental Science & Technology, 2005
- Cavity Ring-Down and Cavity-Enhanced Detection Techniques for the Measurement of Aerosol ExtinctionAerosol Science and Technology, 2005
- Improving global estimates of atmospheric emissions from biomass burningPublished by American Geophysical Union (AGU) ,2004
- Analysis of black carbon and carbon monoxide observed over the Indian Ocean: Implications for emissions and photochemistryPublished by American Geophysical Union (AGU) ,2002
- Nitrogen dioxide and kerosene-flame soot calibration of photoacoustic instruments for measurement of light absorption by aerosolsReview of Scientific Instruments, 2000
- Trace gas emissions from laboratory biomass fires measured by open‐path Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: Fires in grass and surface fuelsJournal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 1999
- Emissions from smoldering combustion of biomass measured by open‐path Fourier transform infrared spectroscopyJournal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 1997
- Investigation of organic aerosol sampling artifacts in the los angeles basinAtmospheric Environment, 1994
- Differences in the carbon composition of source profiles for diesel- and gasoline-powered vehiclesAtmospheric Environment, 1994