Light-absorbing organic carbon from prescribed and laboratory biomass burning and gasoline vehicle emissions
Abstract Light-absorbing organic carbon (OC), also termed brown carbon (BrC), from laboratory-based biomass burning (BB) has been studied intensively to understand the contribution of BB to radiative forcing. However, relatively few measurements have been conducted on field-based BB and even fewer m...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2017-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-06981-8 |
| _version_ | 1818344297067446272 |
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| author | Mingjie Xie Michael D. Hays Amara L. Holder |
| author_facet | Mingjie Xie Michael D. Hays Amara L. Holder |
| author_sort | Mingjie Xie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Light-absorbing organic carbon (OC), also termed brown carbon (BrC), from laboratory-based biomass burning (BB) has been studied intensively to understand the contribution of BB to radiative forcing. However, relatively few measurements have been conducted on field-based BB and even fewer measurements have examined BrC from anthropogenic combustion sources like motor vehicle emissions. In this work, the light absorption of methanol-extractable OC from prescribed and laboratory BB and gasoline vehicle emissions was examined using spectrophotometry. The light absorption of methanol extracts showed a strong wavelength dependence for both BB and gasoline vehicle emissions. The mass absorption coefficients at 365 nm (MAC365, m2 g−1C) – used as a measurement proxy for BrC – were significantly correlated (p < 0.05) to the elemental carbon (EC)/OC ratios when examined by each BB fuel type. No significant correlation was observed when pooling fuels, indicating that both burn conditions and fuel types may impact BB BrC characteristics. The average MAC365 of gasoline vehicle emission samples is 0.62 ± 0.76 m2 g−1C, which is similar in magnitude to the BB samples (1.27 ± 0.76 m2 g−1C). These results suggest that in addition to BB, gasoline vehicle emissions may also be an important BrC source in urban areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:44:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3010b050e90b4973b2bf3183a1b300e6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:44:14Z |
| publishDate | 2017-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-3010b050e90b4973b2bf3183a1b300e62022-12-21T23:38:12ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222017-08-01711910.1038/s41598-017-06981-8Light-absorbing organic carbon from prescribed and laboratory biomass burning and gasoline vehicle emissionsMingjie Xie0Michael D. Hays1Amara L. Holder2Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research LaboratoryU.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research LaboratoryAbstract Light-absorbing organic carbon (OC), also termed brown carbon (BrC), from laboratory-based biomass burning (BB) has been studied intensively to understand the contribution of BB to radiative forcing. However, relatively few measurements have been conducted on field-based BB and even fewer measurements have examined BrC from anthropogenic combustion sources like motor vehicle emissions. In this work, the light absorption of methanol-extractable OC from prescribed and laboratory BB and gasoline vehicle emissions was examined using spectrophotometry. The light absorption of methanol extracts showed a strong wavelength dependence for both BB and gasoline vehicle emissions. The mass absorption coefficients at 365 nm (MAC365, m2 g−1C) – used as a measurement proxy for BrC – were significantly correlated (p < 0.05) to the elemental carbon (EC)/OC ratios when examined by each BB fuel type. No significant correlation was observed when pooling fuels, indicating that both burn conditions and fuel types may impact BB BrC characteristics. The average MAC365 of gasoline vehicle emission samples is 0.62 ± 0.76 m2 g−1C, which is similar in magnitude to the BB samples (1.27 ± 0.76 m2 g−1C). These results suggest that in addition to BB, gasoline vehicle emissions may also be an important BrC source in urban areas.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-06981-8 |
| spellingShingle | Mingjie Xie Michael D. Hays Amara L. Holder Light-absorbing organic carbon from prescribed and laboratory biomass burning and gasoline vehicle emissions Scientific Reports |
| title | Light-absorbing organic carbon from prescribed and laboratory biomass burning and gasoline vehicle emissions |
| title_full | Light-absorbing organic carbon from prescribed and laboratory biomass burning and gasoline vehicle emissions |
| title_fullStr | Light-absorbing organic carbon from prescribed and laboratory biomass burning and gasoline vehicle emissions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Light-absorbing organic carbon from prescribed and laboratory biomass burning and gasoline vehicle emissions |
| title_short | Light-absorbing organic carbon from prescribed and laboratory biomass burning and gasoline vehicle emissions |
| title_sort | light absorbing organic carbon from prescribed and laboratory biomass burning and gasoline vehicle emissions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-06981-8 |
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