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Grantee Research Project Results

2011 Progress Report: 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. , Worsnop, Douglas R. , Collett Jr., Jeffrey L. , Onasch, T. , Jimenez, Jose-Luis , Heald, Colette L. , Hao, Wei Min , Trimborn, Achim , Kroll, Jesse H.
Current 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 , 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 Period Covered by this Report: January 1, 2011 through December 31,2011
Project Amount: $598,645
RFA: Sources and Atmospheric Formation of Organic Particulate Matter (2007) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Particulate Matter , Air

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.

Progress Summary:

We have completed a series of experiments in which we generated open biomass burning emissions and subjected them to controlled dilution and thermal processing. We measured the response of the aerosol mass concentrations and speciation to this processing in order to develop a database that can be used to characterize the volatility of the combustion emissions. Our data analyses, currently wrapping up, will evaluate the gas/particulate partitioning of these emissions as a function of both dilution and temperature, and will also provide updated emission factors and volatility information for levoglucosan, a key biomass burning tracer. To date, we have completed analyses that reveal a wide variation in the emissions of OA from different fuels (Figure 1). However, when normalized to fractional emissions as a function of the absolute organic aerosol concentration, all smokes displayed surprisingly similar volatility behavior, with less than half of the initial emissions remaining in the particle phase at dilutions typical of the troposphere several hours downwind of the emissions source. Our findings show that organic particulate emissions from open biomass burning should be modeled as semivolatile, and the subsequent atmospheric fates of the evaporated organic species must be studied further so they can be accurately simulated.

 
The data from our studies will help improve models of biomass burning primary particulate emissions, including understanding how emissions vary during different burn phases. Improved representation of the role of biomass combustion in affecting ambient PM2.5 levels is expected to be a key contribution to improved understanding of the sources of atmospheric organic particulate matter, and its impacts on air quality and health.
 
 
Figure 1
 
Figure 1: Emission factors (kg organic aerosol / kg dry fuel) as measured by the AMS, for aerosols produced in the combustion of the indicated fuels. The emission factors are shown as functions of absolute organic aerosol (OA) concentrations, which were adjusted via isothermal dilution in these experiments. Organic aerosol mass is clearly lost upon dilution; relative mass losses are similar among fuels, despite the large variations in emissions.

Future Activities:

In the final year of this project, we are completing analyses and publication of our dilution experiments, emphasizing the HR-ToF-AMS and tracer measurements. In addition to preparing manuscripts on the findings from our rich data set, we are also fitting the information to 2-product and volatility basis set frameworks. The compilation of these fits and their application to U.S. air quality modeling will be one of our key deliverables. Our modeling study focuses on the effects of our improved emissions representation on aerosol loadings during selected biomass burning events affecting the United States. The findings from that work will help elucidate the degree to which the treatment of emissions as semivolatile changes predicted aerosol concentrations.


Journal Articles on this Report : 8 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views
Other project views: All 31 publications 24 publications in selected types All 24 journal articles
Publications
Type Citation Project Document Sources
Journal Article Cappa CD, Jimenez JL. Quantitative estimates of the volatility of ambient organic aerosol. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 2010;10(12):5409-5424. R833747 (2010)
R833747 (2011)
R833747 (Final)
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  • Abstract: ACP-Abstract
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  • Journal Article Cubison MJ, Ortega AM, Hayes PL, Farmer DK, Day D, Lechner MJ, Brune WH, Apel E, Diskin GS, Fisher JA, Fuelberg HE, Hecobian A, Knapp DJ, Mikoviny T, Riemer D, Sachse GW, Sessions W, Weber RJ, Weinheimer AJ, Wisthaler A, Jimenez JL. Effects of aging on organic aerosol from open biomass burning smoke in aircraft and laboratory studies. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 2011;11(23):12049-12064. R833747 (2010)
    R833747 (2011)
    R833747 (Final)
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  • Journal Article DeCarlo PF, Ulbrich IM, Crounse J, de Foy B, Dunlea EJ, Aiken AC, Knapp D, Weinheimer AJ, Campos T, Wennberg PO, Jimenez JL. Investigation of the sources and processing of organic aerosol over the Central Mexican Plateau from aircraft measurements during MILAGRO. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 2010;10(12):5257-5280. R833747 (2010)
    R833747 (2011)
    R833747 (Final)
    R832161 (Final)
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  • Journal Article Hennigan CJ, Miracolo MA, Engelhart GJ, May AA, Presto AA, Lee T, Sullivan AP, McMeeking GR, Coe H, Wold CE, Hao W-M, Gilman JB, Kuster WC, de Gouw J, Schichtel BA, Collett Jr. JL, Kreidenweis SM, Robinson AL. Chemical and physical transformations of organic aerosol from the photo-oxidation of open biomass burning emissions in an environmental chamber. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 2011;11(15):7669-7686. R833747 (2010)
    R833747 (2011)
    R833747 (Final)
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  • Journal Article Kimmel JR, Farmer DK, Cubison MJ, Sueper D, Tanner C, Nemitz E, Worsnop DR, Gonin M, Jimenez JL. Real-time aerosol mass spectrometry with millisecond resolution. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry 2011;303(1):15-26. R833747 (2010)
    R833747 (2011)
    R833747 (Final)
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  • Journal Article Lee T, Sullivan AP, Mack L, Jimenez JL, Kreidenweis SM, Onasch TB, Worsnop DR, Malm W, Wold CE, Hao WM, Collett Jr. JL. Chemical smoke marker emissions during flaming and smoldering phases of laboratory open burning of wildland fuels. Aerosol Science and Technology 2010;44(9):i-v. R833747 (2009)
    R833747 (2010)
    R833747 (2011)
    R833747 (Final)
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  • Journal Article Robinson CB, Kimmel JR, David DE, Jayne JT, Trimborn A, Worsnop DR, Jimenez JL. Thermal desorption metastable atom bombardment ionization aerosol mass spectrometer. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry 2011;303(2-3):164-172. R833747 (2010)
    R833747 (2011)
    R833747 (Final)
  • Full-text: University of Colorado-Full Text PDF
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  • Journal Article Spracklen DV, Jimenez JL, Carslaw KS, Worsnop DR, Evans MJ, Mann GW, Zhang Q, Canagaratna MR, Allan J, Coe H, McFiggans G, Rap A, Forster P. Aerosol mass spectrometer constraint on the global secondary organic aerosol budget. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 2011;11(23):12109-12136. R833747 (2010)
    R833747 (2011)
    R833747 (Final)
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  • 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

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    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.

    Project Research Results

    • Final Report
    • 2012
    • 2010 Progress Report
    • 2009 Progress Report
    • 2008 Progress Report
    • Original Abstract
    31 publications for this project
    24 journal articles for this project

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