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Volatile and semivolatile organic compounds in laboratory peat fire emissions
Citation:
George, I., R. Black, Johnt Walker, Chris Geron, J. Aurell, M. Hays, W. Preston, AND B. Gullett. Volatile and semivolatile organic compounds in laboratory peat fire emissions. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 132:163-170, (2016).
Impact/Purpose:
This publication presents speciated gas and particulate organic emissions from peat burning, including a number of hazardous air pollutants. Emission factors for these compounds were reported, which can be used in emissions models to assess the impact of peat fires on air quality. This work suggests that peat fires can make a signficant contribution to state-wide HAP emissions.
Description:
Speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and organic fine particulate matter (PM2.5) mass emission factors were determined from laboratory peat fire experiments. Peat samples originated from two wildlife reserves located near the coast of North Carolina, U.S. Gas and particulate organics were quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by high pressure liquid chromatography. Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) accounted for a large fraction (~60 %) of the speciated VOC emissions from peat burning, including large contributions of acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and chloromethane. Speciated organic PM2.5 mass was dominated by the following compound classes: organic acids, levoglucosan, n-alkanes, and n-alkenes. Emission factors for PM2.5 organic acids including n-alkanoic acids, n-alkenoic acids, n-alkanedioic acids, and aromatic acids were reported for the first time for peat burning, representing the largest fraction of organic carbon (OC) mass (11-12 %) of all speciated compound classes measured in this work. Levoglucosan contributed 2-3 % of the OC mass, while methoxyphenols represented 0.2-0.3 % of the OC mass on a carbon mass basis. Retene was the most abundant particulate phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. Total HAP VOC and particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions from a 2008 peat wildfire in North Carolina were estimated, suggesting that peat fires can contribute a large fraction of state-wide HAP emissions.
