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Emissions of volatile organic compounds and particulate matter from small-scale peat fire
Citation:
George, I., R. Black, Johnt Walker, M. Hays, D. Tabor, AND B. Gullett. Emissions of volatile organic compounds and particulate matter from small-scale peat fire. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 09 - 13, 2013.
Impact/Purpose:
This abstract summarizes EPA research that will be presented at the AGU meeting, which is the world's largest conference of Earth scientists. The objective of the research that will be presented at the AGU as summarized in the abstract was to characterize air pollution from peat burning in laboratory experiments conducted at the EPA. The research will enable environmental scientists to more accurately evaluate the influence of peat fires on air quality, climate and human health.
Description:
Air pollution emitted from peat fires can negatively impact regional air quality, visibility, climate, and human health. Peat fires can smolder over long periods of time and, therefore, can release significantly greater amounts of carbon into the atmosphere per unit area compared to burning of other types of biomass. However, few studies have characterized the gas and particulate emissions from peat burning. To assess the atmospheric impact of peat fires, particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were quantified from controlled small-scale peat fire experiments. Major carbon emissions (i.e. CO2, CO, methane and total hydrocarbons) were measured during the peat burn experiments. Speciated PM mass was also determined from the peat burns from filter and polyurethane foam samples. Whole air samples were taken in SUMMA canisters and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure 82 trace VOCs. Additional gaseous carbonyl species were measured by sampling with dinitrophenylhydrazine-coated cartridges and analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography. The VOCs with highest observed concentrations measured from the peat burns were propylene, benzene, chloromethane and toluene. Gas-phase carbonyls with highest observed concentrations included acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and acetone. Emission factors of major pollutants will be compared with recommended values for peat and other biomass burning.