Grantee Research Project Results

Improved Treatment of Atmospheric Organic Particulate Matter Concentrations from Biomass Combustion Emissions

EPA Grant Number: R833747
Title: Improved Treatment of Atmospheric Organic Particulate Matter Concentrations from Biomass Combustion Emissions
Investigators: Kreidenweis, Sonia M. , Kroll, Jesse H. , Heald, Colette L. , Collett Jr., Jeffrey L. , Hao, Wei Min , Worsnop, Douglas R. , Trimborn, Achim , Jimenez, Jose-Luis , Onasch, T.
Institution: Colorado State University , Fire Sciences Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Research Station , Aerodyne Research Inc.
Current Institution: Colorado State University , Aerodyne Research Inc. , Fire Sciences Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Research Station
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: September 1, 2007 through December 31, 2010 (Extended to December 31, 2012)
Project Amount: $598,645
RFA: Sources and Atmospheric Formation of Organic Particulate Matter (2007) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Particulate Matter , Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air

Description:

Experimental work to be conducted at the Fire Sciences Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Missoula, MT.; analyses to be conducted at the four collaborating institutions.

Objective:

We propose to measure, for the first time, volatility distributions, as functions of both dilution and temperature, of open biomass burning emissions for a variety of fuel types relevant to U.S. air quality. We propose to interpret data using semivolatile partitioning models, and to implement and test new biomass-burning emissions maps and partitioning models in large-scale model runs.

Approach:

Combustion emissions will be generated in the combustion chamber of the Fire Sciences Laboratory and the particulate organic mass concentrations evaluated as functions of dilution and temperature. We will also measure emission factors for levoglucosan, a key biomass burning tracers. Measurements will be made at high time resolution and down to low organic aerosol loadings relevant to the ambient atmosphere, unlike the high particulate matter concentrations required for earlier filter-based source profile determinations. Data will be fit to partitioning models that treat the semivolatile nature of the emissions. The GOES-Chem model will be used to test and evaluate the new representations.

Expected Results:

Improved representation of the role of biomass combustion in affecting ambient PM_2.5 levels is expected to be a key contribution to the EPA’s efforts in improving understanding of the sources of atmospheric organic particulate matter. We anticipate that our semivolatile-partitioning studies will yield data more representative of the atmospheric fate of biomass combustion emissions, and that the modules developed and tested as part of this proposed effort will improve the representation of U.S. ambient organic PM_2.5 concentrations.

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 31 publications for this project

Journal Articles:

Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 24 journal articles for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

Primary organic aerosol, semivolatile organics, volatile organic carbon (VOC), organic gas-aerosol partitioning, modeling, volatility distribution, thermal denuder, levoglucosan, source profiles, fire emissions, fire maps,

Progress and Final Reports:

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.