Carbonaceous Particulate Matter Emitted from a Pellet-Fired Biomass Boiler
Biomass pellets are a source of renewable energy; although, the air pollution and exposure risks posed by the emissions from burning pellets in biomass boilers (BBs) are uncertain. The present study examines the organic species in fine particle matter (PM) emissions from an BB firing switchgrass (Sw...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-09-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/9/536 |
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| author | Michael D. Hays John Kinsey Ingrid George William Preston Carl Singer Bakul Patel |
| author_facet | Michael D. Hays John Kinsey Ingrid George William Preston Carl Singer Bakul Patel |
| author_sort | Michael D. Hays |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biomass pellets are a source of renewable energy; although, the air pollution and exposure risks posed by the emissions from burning pellets in biomass boilers (BBs) are uncertain. The present study examines the organic species in fine particle matter (PM) emissions from an BB firing switchgrass (SwG) and hardwood (HW) biomass pellets using different test cycles. The organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC) content and select semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in filter-collected PM were identified and quantified using thermal-optical analysis and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), respectively. Fine PM emissions from the BB ranged from 0.4 g/kg to 2.91 g/kg of pellets burned of which 40% ± 17% <i>w</i>/<i>w</i> was carbon. The sum of GC–MS quantified SVOCs in the PM emissions varied from 0.13 to 0.41 g/g OC. Relatively high levels of oxygenated compounds were observed in the PM emissions, and the most predominant individual SVOC constituent was levoglucosan (12.5–320 mg/g OC). The effect of boiler test cycle on emissions was generally greater than the effect due to pellet fuel type. Organic matter emissions increased at lower loads, owing to less than optimal combustion performance. Compared with other types of residential wood combustion studies, pellet burning in the current BB lowered PM emissions by nearly an order of magnitude. PM emitted from burning pellets in boilers tested across multiple studies also contains comparatively less carbon; however, the toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the PM tested across these pellet-burning studies varied substantially, and produced 2–10 times more benzo[<i>k</i>]fluoranthene, dibenz[<i>a,h</i>]anthracene and indeno[<i>1,2,3-c,d</i>]pyrene on average. These results suggest that further toxicological evaluation of biomass pellet burning emissions is required to properly understand the risks posed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:16:04Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:16:04Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-f79fb992e61d43f199d7bb24b41d7d812022-12-22T01:31:28ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332019-09-0110953610.3390/atmos10090536atmos10090536Carbonaceous Particulate Matter Emitted from a Pellet-Fired Biomass BoilerMichael D. Hays0John Kinsey1Ingrid George2William Preston3Carl Singer4Bakul Patel5Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 20460, USAOffice of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 20460, USAOffice of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 20460, USAJACOBS Inc./CSS, 1910 Sedwick Road, Durham, NC 27713, USAJACOBS Inc./CSS, 1910 Sedwick Road, Durham, NC 27713, USASenior Environmental Employment (SEE) Program, Washington, DC 20460, USABiomass pellets are a source of renewable energy; although, the air pollution and exposure risks posed by the emissions from burning pellets in biomass boilers (BBs) are uncertain. The present study examines the organic species in fine particle matter (PM) emissions from an BB firing switchgrass (SwG) and hardwood (HW) biomass pellets using different test cycles. The organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC) content and select semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in filter-collected PM were identified and quantified using thermal-optical analysis and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), respectively. Fine PM emissions from the BB ranged from 0.4 g/kg to 2.91 g/kg of pellets burned of which 40% ± 17% <i>w</i>/<i>w</i> was carbon. The sum of GC–MS quantified SVOCs in the PM emissions varied from 0.13 to 0.41 g/g OC. Relatively high levels of oxygenated compounds were observed in the PM emissions, and the most predominant individual SVOC constituent was levoglucosan (12.5–320 mg/g OC). The effect of boiler test cycle on emissions was generally greater than the effect due to pellet fuel type. Organic matter emissions increased at lower loads, owing to less than optimal combustion performance. Compared with other types of residential wood combustion studies, pellet burning in the current BB lowered PM emissions by nearly an order of magnitude. PM emitted from burning pellets in boilers tested across multiple studies also contains comparatively less carbon; however, the toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the PM tested across these pellet-burning studies varied substantially, and produced 2–10 times more benzo[<i>k</i>]fluoranthene, dibenz[<i>a,h</i>]anthracene and indeno[<i>1,2,3-c,d</i>]pyrene on average. These results suggest that further toxicological evaluation of biomass pellet burning emissions is required to properly understand the risks posed.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/9/536particle matterSVOCsGC–MSPAHpellets |
| spellingShingle | Michael D. Hays John Kinsey Ingrid George William Preston Carl Singer Bakul Patel Carbonaceous Particulate Matter Emitted from a Pellet-Fired Biomass Boiler Atmosphere particle matter SVOCs GC–MS PAH pellets |
| title | Carbonaceous Particulate Matter Emitted from a Pellet-Fired Biomass Boiler |
| title_full | Carbonaceous Particulate Matter Emitted from a Pellet-Fired Biomass Boiler |
| title_fullStr | Carbonaceous Particulate Matter Emitted from a Pellet-Fired Biomass Boiler |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbonaceous Particulate Matter Emitted from a Pellet-Fired Biomass Boiler |
| title_short | Carbonaceous Particulate Matter Emitted from a Pellet-Fired Biomass Boiler |
| title_sort | carbonaceous particulate matter emitted from a pellet fired biomass boiler |
| topic | particle matter SVOCs GC–MS PAH pellets |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/9/536 |
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