Evaluation of aerosol- and gas-phase tracers for identification of transported biomass burning emissions in an industrially influenced location in Texas, USA
<p>As criteria pollutants from anthropogenic emissions have declined in the US in the last 2 decades, biomass burning (BB) emissions are becoming more important for urban air quality. Tracking the transported BB emissions and their impacts is challenging, especially in areas that are also burd...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/23/10845/2023/acp-23-10845-2023.pdf |
| _version_ | 1827799841918418944 |
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| author | S. Shrestha S. Zhou S. Zhou M. Mehra M. Guagenti S. Yoon S. L. Alvarez F. Guo F. Guo F. Guo C.-Y. Chao J. H. Flynn III Y. Wang R. J. Griffin R. J. Griffin S. Usenko R. J. Sheesley |
| author_facet | S. Shrestha S. Zhou S. Zhou M. Mehra M. Guagenti S. Yoon S. L. Alvarez F. Guo F. Guo F. Guo C.-Y. Chao J. H. Flynn III Y. Wang R. J. Griffin R. J. Griffin S. Usenko R. J. Sheesley |
| author_sort | S. Shrestha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>As criteria pollutants from anthropogenic emissions have declined in the US
in the last 2 decades, biomass burning (BB) emissions are becoming more
important for urban air quality. Tracking the transported BB emissions and
their impacts is challenging, especially in areas that are also burdened by
anthropogenic sources like the Texas Gulf Coast. During the Corpus Christi
and San Antonio (CCSA) field campaign in spring 2021, two long-range-transport BB events (BB1 and BB2) were identified. The observed patterns of an absorption Ångström exponent (AAE), a high-resolution time-of-flight
aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) BB tracer (<span class="inline-formula"><i>f</i><sub>60</sub></span>), equivalent
black carbon (eBC), acetonitrile and carbon monoxide (CO) during BB1 and BB2
indicated differences in the mixing of transported BB plumes with local
anthropogenic sources. The combined information from HYSPLIT backward-trajectory (BT) and satellite observations revealed that BB1 had mixed
influence of transported smoke plumes from fires in central Mexico, the
Yucatán Peninsula and the central US, whereas BB2 was influenced by
fires in the central US. The estimated transport times of smoke from the
Mexican fires and the central US fires to our study site were not too
different (48–54 and 24–36 h, respectively), and both events
appeared to have undergone similar levels of atmospheric processing, as
evident in the elemental ratios of bulk organic aerosol (OA). We observed an
aging trend for <span class="inline-formula"><i>f</i><sub>44</sub></span> vs. <span class="inline-formula"><i>f</i><sub>60</sub></span> and <span class="inline-formula"><i>f</i><sub>44</sub></span> vs. <span class="inline-formula"><i>f</i><sub>43</sub></span> as a
function of time during BB2 but not during BB1. Positive matrix
factorization (PMF) analysis of OA showed that BB1 had a mixture of organics
from aged BB emissions with an anthropogenic marine signal, while the oxidized
organic compounds from aged BB emissions dominated the aerosols during BB2.
The size distribution of aerosol composition revealed distinct
characteristics between BB1 and BB2, where BB1 was found to be externally
mixed, exhibiting a combination of BB and anthropogenic marine aerosols. On
the other hand, BB2 exhibited internal mixing dominated by aged BB aerosol. Our analysis from mobile and stationary measurements
highlights that both CO and acetonitrile are likely impacted by local
sources even during the BB events and specifically that acetonitrile cannot
be used as a unique BB tracer for dilute BB plumes in an industrially
influenced location. A suitable volatile organic compound (VOC) tracer would need to be emitted in high
concentrations during BB, resistant to degradation during transport, unique
to BB and able to be measured in the field. This study effectively
demonstrates that AAE and aerosol BB tracers served as precise and effective
tracers in these complex emission<span id="page10846"/> scenarios. Network deployment of
multiwavelength photometers holds promise for enhancing our understanding of
BB impacts on air quality and supporting informed decision-making for
effective mitigation strategies in locations with mixed sources and
influence of dilute BB plumes. To demonstrate the relevance of such an
aerosol optical network, we provide evidence of the potential regional
impacts of these transported BB events on urban <span class="inline-formula">O<sub>3</sub></span> levels using
measurements from the surface air quality monitoring network in Texas.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T19:58:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b246e872f374a7ea4d56fb1f606d9ca |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T19:58:36Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b246e872f374a7ea4d56fb1f606d9ca2023-10-04T13:15:07ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242023-10-0123108451086710.5194/acp-23-10845-2023Evaluation of aerosol- and gas-phase tracers for identification of transported biomass burning emissions in an industrially influenced location in Texas, USAS. Shrestha0S. Zhou1S. Zhou2M. Mehra3M. Guagenti4S. Yoon5S. L. Alvarez6F. Guo7F. Guo8F. Guo9C.-Y. Chao10J. H. Flynn III11Y. Wang12R. J. Griffin13R. J. Griffin14S. Usenko15R. J. Sheesley16Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USADepartment of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USADepartment of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USADepartment of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USADepartment of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USADepartment of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USADepartment of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USAnow at: Aerodyne Research Inc., Billerica, MA, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USADepartment of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USADepartment of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USASchool of Engineering, Computing, and Construction Management, Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI, USADepartment of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USADepartment of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA<p>As criteria pollutants from anthropogenic emissions have declined in the US in the last 2 decades, biomass burning (BB) emissions are becoming more important for urban air quality. Tracking the transported BB emissions and their impacts is challenging, especially in areas that are also burdened by anthropogenic sources like the Texas Gulf Coast. During the Corpus Christi and San Antonio (CCSA) field campaign in spring 2021, two long-range-transport BB events (BB1 and BB2) were identified. The observed patterns of an absorption Ångström exponent (AAE), a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) BB tracer (<span class="inline-formula"><i>f</i><sub>60</sub></span>), equivalent black carbon (eBC), acetonitrile and carbon monoxide (CO) during BB1 and BB2 indicated differences in the mixing of transported BB plumes with local anthropogenic sources. The combined information from HYSPLIT backward-trajectory (BT) and satellite observations revealed that BB1 had mixed influence of transported smoke plumes from fires in central Mexico, the Yucatán Peninsula and the central US, whereas BB2 was influenced by fires in the central US. The estimated transport times of smoke from the Mexican fires and the central US fires to our study site were not too different (48–54 and 24–36 h, respectively), and both events appeared to have undergone similar levels of atmospheric processing, as evident in the elemental ratios of bulk organic aerosol (OA). We observed an aging trend for <span class="inline-formula"><i>f</i><sub>44</sub></span> vs. <span class="inline-formula"><i>f</i><sub>60</sub></span> and <span class="inline-formula"><i>f</i><sub>44</sub></span> vs. <span class="inline-formula"><i>f</i><sub>43</sub></span> as a function of time during BB2 but not during BB1. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis of OA showed that BB1 had a mixture of organics from aged BB emissions with an anthropogenic marine signal, while the oxidized organic compounds from aged BB emissions dominated the aerosols during BB2. The size distribution of aerosol composition revealed distinct characteristics between BB1 and BB2, where BB1 was found to be externally mixed, exhibiting a combination of BB and anthropogenic marine aerosols. On the other hand, BB2 exhibited internal mixing dominated by aged BB aerosol. Our analysis from mobile and stationary measurements highlights that both CO and acetonitrile are likely impacted by local sources even during the BB events and specifically that acetonitrile cannot be used as a unique BB tracer for dilute BB plumes in an industrially influenced location. A suitable volatile organic compound (VOC) tracer would need to be emitted in high concentrations during BB, resistant to degradation during transport, unique to BB and able to be measured in the field. This study effectively demonstrates that AAE and aerosol BB tracers served as precise and effective tracers in these complex emission<span id="page10846"/> scenarios. Network deployment of multiwavelength photometers holds promise for enhancing our understanding of BB impacts on air quality and supporting informed decision-making for effective mitigation strategies in locations with mixed sources and influence of dilute BB plumes. To demonstrate the relevance of such an aerosol optical network, we provide evidence of the potential regional impacts of these transported BB events on urban <span class="inline-formula">O<sub>3</sub></span> levels using measurements from the surface air quality monitoring network in Texas.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/23/10845/2023/acp-23-10845-2023.pdf |
| spellingShingle | S. Shrestha S. Zhou S. Zhou M. Mehra M. Guagenti S. Yoon S. L. Alvarez F. Guo F. Guo F. Guo C.-Y. Chao J. H. Flynn III Y. Wang R. J. Griffin R. J. Griffin S. Usenko R. J. Sheesley Evaluation of aerosol- and gas-phase tracers for identification of transported biomass burning emissions in an industrially influenced location in Texas, USA Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Evaluation of aerosol- and gas-phase tracers for identification of transported biomass burning emissions in an industrially influenced location in Texas, USA |
| title_full | Evaluation of aerosol- and gas-phase tracers for identification of transported biomass burning emissions in an industrially influenced location in Texas, USA |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of aerosol- and gas-phase tracers for identification of transported biomass burning emissions in an industrially influenced location in Texas, USA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of aerosol- and gas-phase tracers for identification of transported biomass burning emissions in an industrially influenced location in Texas, USA |
| title_short | Evaluation of aerosol- and gas-phase tracers for identification of transported biomass burning emissions in an industrially influenced location in Texas, USA |
| title_sort | evaluation of aerosol and gas phase tracers for identification of transported biomass burning emissions in an industrially influenced location in texas usa |
| url | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/23/10845/2023/acp-23-10845-2023.pdf |
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