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To What Extent Can Biogenic SOA Be Controlled?
Citation:
CARLTON, A. G., R. W. PINDER, P. BHAVE, AND G. POULIOT. To What Extent Can Biogenic SOA Be Controlled? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 44(9):3201-3646, (2010).
Impact/Purpose:
The National Exposure Research Laboratory′s (NERL′s) Atmospheric Modeling and Analysis Division (AMAD) conducts research in support of EPA′s mission to protect human health and the environment. AMAD′s research program is engaged in developing and evaluating predictive atmospheric models on all spatial and temporal scales for forecasting the Nation′s air quality and for assessing changes in air quality and air pollutant exposures, as affected by changes in ecosystem management and regulatory decisions. AMAD is responsible for providing a sound scientific and technical basis for regulatory policies based on air quality models to improve ambient air quality. The models developed by AMAD are being used by EPA, NOAA, and the air pollution community in understanding and forecasting not only the magnitude of the air pollution problem, but also in developing emission control policies and regulations for air quality improvements.
Description:
Anthropogenic pollution facilitates transformation of naturally emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to the particle phase, enhancing the ambient concentrations of material commonly referred to as biogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA). It is therefore conceivable that some portion of ambient biogenic SOA can be removed by controlling emissions of anthropogenic pollutants. Direct measurement of the controllable fraction of biogenic SOA is not possible, but this can be estimated through 3-dimensional photochemical air quality modeling. To examine this in detail, 22 CMAQ model simulations were conducted over the continental U.S. (August 15 - September 4, 2003). The relative contributions of five emitted pollution classes (ie., NOx, VOCs, NH3, SO2 and primary organic particulate matter (POM)) on biogenic SOA were estimated by removing anthropogenic emissions of these pollutants, one at a time and all together. To the best of our knowledge, these effects are quantitatively estimated for the first time with a model that includes detailed treatment of SOA formation pathways. Model results demonstrate a strong influence of anthropogenic emissions on predicted biogenic SOA concentrations, suggesting more than 50% of biogenic SOA in the eastern U.S. can be controlled. Because a substantial portion of biogenic SOA is regulated by anthropogenic component, classification of SOA as biogenic or anthropogenic based solely on VOC origin is not sufficient to describe the controllable fraction.
URLs/Downloads:
To What Extent Can Biogenic SOA Be Controlled? (PDF, NA pp, 4313 KB, about PDF)Environmental Science and Technology
