1State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key
Laboratory of Environment Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou
Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640,
China
2Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute
of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
3University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
4Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and
Prevention, Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan
University, Shanghai 200433, China
5Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
100029, China
6Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse et l'Environment de Lyon
(IRCELYON), CNRS, UMR5256, Villeurbanne 69626, France
1State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key
Laboratory of Environment Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou
Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640,
China
2Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute
of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
3University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
4Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and
Prevention, Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan
University, Shanghai 200433, China
5Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
100029, China
6Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse et l'Environment de Lyon
(IRCELYON), CNRS, UMR5256, Villeurbanne 69626, France
Received: 04 Jul 2017 – Discussion started: 23 Aug 2017 – Revised: 03 Nov 2017 – Accepted: 08 Nov 2017 – Published: 14 Dec 2017
Abstract. Agricultural residues are among the most abundant biomass burned globally, especially in China. However, there is little information on primary emissions and photochemical evolution of agricultural residue burning. In this study, indoor chamber experiments were conducted to investigate primary emissions from open burning of rice, corn and wheat straws and their photochemical aging as well. Emission factors of NOx, NH3, SO2, 67 non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), particulate matter (PM), organic aerosol (OA) and black carbon (BC) under ambient dilution conditions were determined. Olefins accounted for > 50 % of the total speciated NMHCs emission (2.47 to 5.04 g kg−1), indicating high ozone formation potential of straw burning emissions. Emission factors of PM (3.73 to 6.36 g kg−1) and primary organic carbon (POC, 2.05 to 4.11 gC kg−1), measured at dilution ratios of 1300 to 4000, were lower than those reported in previous studies at low dilution ratios, probably due to the evaporation of semi-volatile organic compounds under high dilution conditions. After photochemical aging with an OH exposure range of (1.97–4.97) × 1010 molecule cm−3 s in the chamber, large amounts of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) were produced with OA mass enhancement ratios (the mass ratio of total OA to primary OA) of 2.4–7.6. The 20 known precursors could only explain 5.0–27.3 % of the observed SOA mass, suggesting that the major precursors of SOA formed from open straw burning remain unidentified. Aerosol mass spectrometry (AMS) signaled that the aged OA contained less hydrocarbons but more oxygen- and nitrogen-containing compounds than primary OA, and carbon oxidation state (OSc) calculated with AMS resolved O ∕ C and H ∕ C ratios increased linearly (p < 0.001) with OH exposure with quite similar slopes.
Primary emissions and aging of open straw burning plumes were characterized in ambient dilution conditions in a chamber. Rich in alkenes, the plumes have high O3 formation potential. The emissions of specific particulate and gaseous compounds were less when the straws were fully burned. Organic aerosol (OA) mass increased by a factor of 2–8 with 3–9 h photo-oxidation, yet > 70 % of the mass cannot be explained by the known precursors. OA gained more O- and N-containing compounds during aging.
Primary emissions and aging of open straw burning plumes were characterized in ambient dilution...
