Articles | Volume 22, issue 15
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10291-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10291-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Measurement report
| 
11 Aug 2022
Measurement report |
| 11 Aug 2022
| 11 Aug 2022
Measurement report: Size-resolved chemical characterisation of aerosols in low-income urban settlements in South Africa
Constance K. Segakweng
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West
University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa
Pieter G. van Zyl
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Chemical Resource Beneficiation, North-West University, Potchefstroom
Campus, South Africa
Cathy Liousse
Laboratoire d'Aérologie, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse
III, France
Johan P. Beukes
Chemical Resource Beneficiation, North-West University, Potchefstroom
Campus, South Africa
Jan-Stefan Swartz
Chemical Resource Beneficiation, North-West University, Potchefstroom
Campus, South Africa
Eric Gardrat
Laboratoire d'Aérologie, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse
III, France
Maria Dias-Alves
Laboratoire d'Aérologie, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse
III, France
Brigitte Language
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West
University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa
Roelof P. Burger
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West
University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa
Stuart J. Piketh
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West
University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa
Related authors
No articles found.
Arya Mukherjee, Anni Hartikainen, Markus Somero, Viljami Luostari, Mika Ihalainen, Christopher P. Rüger, Timo Kekäläinen, Ville H. Nissinen, Luis M. F. Barreira, Hanna Koponen, Tuukka Kokkola, Delun Li, Lejish Vettikkat, Pasi Yli-Pirilä, Muhammad Shahzaib, Meri M. Ruppel, Ville Vakkari, Kerneels Jaars, Stefan J. Siebert, Angela Buchholz, Kajar Köster, Pieter G. van Zyl, Hilkka Timonen, Niko Kinnunen, Janne Jänis, Annele Virtanen, Aki Virkkula, and Olli Sippula
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 16747–16774, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16747-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16747-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Warming climate is predicted to increase boreal and peatland fires in Northern Eurasia. Limited studies have characterized light absorbing aerosol emissions from these biomasses, thus necessitating this work. Brown carbon (BrC) emitted from laboratory-scale biomass burning had weak light absorptivities based on their complex refractive index values. A combustion temperature dependent light absorptivity continuum existed for emitted BrC. Photochemical aging decreased BrC light absorptivity.
Chiara Giorio, Anne Monod, Valerio Di Marco, Pierre Herckes, Denise Napolitano, Amy Sullivan, Gautier Landrot, Daniel Warnes, Marika Nasti, Sara D'Aronco, Agathe Gérardin, Nicolas Brun, Karine Desboeufs, Sylvain Triquet, Servanne Chevaillier, Claudia Di Biagio, Francesco Battaglia, Frédéric Burnet, Stuart J. Piketh, Andreas Namwoonde, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 16107–16125, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16107-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16107-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We present a comparison between concentrations of dissolved trace metals in pairs of total suspended particulate (TSP) and fog samples collected in Henties Bay, Namibia, during the AErosols, Radiation and CLOuds in southern Africa (AEROCLO-sA) field campaign. We found enhanced concentrations of dissolved metals in fog samples, which we attributed to metal–ligand complex formation in the early stages of particle activation into droplets that can then remain in a kinetically stable form in fog or lead to the formation of colloidal nanoparticles.
Paola Formenti, Chiara Giorio, Karine Desboeufs, Alexander Zherebker, Marco Gaetani, Clarissa Baldo, Gautier Landrot, Simona Montebello, Servanne Chevaillier, Sylvain Triquet, Guillaume Siour, Claudia Di Biagio, Francesco Battaglia, Jean-François Doussin, Anais Feron, Andreas Namwoonde, and Stuart John Piketh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 16127–16145, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16127-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16127-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The elemental composition and solubility of several metals, including iron, at a coastal site in Namibia in August–September 2017, indicate that natural and anthropogenic dust had different solubility depending on mineralogy but mostly on the processing by fluoride ions from marine emissions, pointing to the complexity of atmospheric--oceanic interactions in this region of the world influenced by the Benguela current and significant aerosol load.
Claudia Di Biagio, Elisa Bru, Avila Orta, Servanne Chevaillier, Clarissa Baldo, Antonin Bergé, Mathieu Cazaunau, Sandra Lafon, Sophie Nowak, Edouard Pangui, Meinrat O. Andreae, Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova, Kebonyethata Dintwe, Konrad Kandler, James S. King, Amelie Chaput, Gregory S. Okin, Stuart Piketh, Thuraya Saeed, David Seibert, Zongbo Shi, Earle Williams, Pasquale Sellitto, and Paola Formenti
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3512, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3512, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Spectroscopy measurements show that the absorbance of dust in the far-infrared up to 25 μm is comparable in intensity to that in the mid-infrared (3–15μm) suggesting its relevance for dust direct radiative effect. Data evidence different absorption signatures for high and low/mid latitude dust, due to differences in mineralogical composition. These differences could be used to characterise the mineralogy and differentiate the origin of airborne dust based on infrared remote sensing observations.
Abdulaziz T. Yakubu, Danitza Klopper, Henno Havenga, Roelof Burger, Paola Formenti, and Stuart J. Piketh
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1827, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1827, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Low-level inversions experienced along the Namibia coast and adjacent ocean have implications for air pollutant dispersion and low clouds. These affect air quality, human health, radiative forcing and climate change. We used reanalysis and satellite datasets to understand inversion properties over the region. The result shows inversion prominence at night and in winter, seasonally influences pollutant trapping and initiates stratocumulus clouds formation, but is not liable for their extent.
Diana L. Pereira, Chiara Giorio, Aline Gratien, Alexander Zherebker, Gael Noyalet, Servanne Chevaillier, Stéphanie Alage, Elie Almarj, Antonin Bergé, Thomas Bertin, Mathieu Cazaunau, Patrice Coll, Ludovico Di Antonio, Sergio Harb, Johannes Heuser, Cécile Gaimoz, Oscar Guillemant, Brigitte Language, Olivier Lauret, Camilo Macias, Franck Maisonneuve, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, Raquel Torres, Sylvain Triquet, Pascal Zapf, Lelia Hawkins, Drew Pronovost, Sydney Riley, Pierre-Marie Flaud, Emilie Perraudin, Pauline Pouyes, Eric Villenave, Alexandre Albinet, Olivier Favez, Robin Aujay-Plouzeau, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Manuela Cirtog, Claudia Di Biagio, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4885–4905, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
In order to study aerosols in environments influenced by anthropogenic and biogenic emissions, we performed analyses of samples collected during the ACROSS (Atmospheric Chemistry Of the Suburban Forest) campaign in summer 2022 in the greater Paris area. After analysis of the chemical composition by means of total carbon determination and high-resolution mass spectrometry, this work highlights the influence of anthropogenic inputs on the chemical composition of both urban and forested areas.
Marion Ranaivombola, Nelson Bègue, Lucas Vaz Peres, Farahnaz Fazel-Rastgar, Venkataraman Sivakumar, Gisèle Krysztofiak, Gwenaël Berthet, Fabrice Jegou, Stuart Piketh, and Hassan Bencherif
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3519–3540, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3519-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3519-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
From September to October 2022, the Biomass Burning Aerosol Campaign (BiBAC) in Kruger National Park revealed a significant aerosol loading linked to biomass burning activity, with southeastward transport over southern Africa and the southwestern Indian Ocean (SWIO) basin. The study revealed a predominance of biomass burning aerosols and two distinct transport mechanisms of aerosol plumes and CO, underscoring the importance of east-coast observations in understanding atmospheric dynamics.
Hagninou Elagnon Venance Donnou, Aristide Barthélémy Akpo, Money Ossohou, Claire Delon, Véronique Yoboué, Dungall Laouali, Marie Ouafo-Leumbe, Pieter Gideon Van Zyl, Ousmane Ndiaye, Eric Gardrat, Maria Dias-Alves, and Corinne Galy-Lacaux
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13151–13182, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13151-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13151-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ozone is a secondary air pollutant that is detrimental to human and plant health. A better understanding of its chemical evolution is a challenge for Africa, where it is still undersampled. Out of 14 sites examined (1995–2020), high levels of O3 are reported in southern Africa. The dominant chemical processes leading to O3 formation are identified. A decrease in O3 is observed at Katibougou (Mali) and Banizoumbou (Niger), and an increase is found at Zoétélé (Cameroon) and Skukuza (South Africa).
Marie Lothon, François Gheusi, Fabienne Lohou, Véronique Pont, Serge Soula, Corinne Jambert, Solène Derrien, Yannick Bezombes, Emmanuel Leclerc, Gilles Athier, Antoine Vial, Alban Philibert, Bernard Campistron, Frédérique Saïd, Jeroen Sonke, Julien Amestoy, Erwan Bargain, Pierre Bosser, Damien Boulanger, Guillaume Bret, Renaud Bodichon, Laurent Cabanas, Guylaine Canut, Jean-Bernard Estrampes, Eric Gardrat, Zaida Gomez Kuri, Jérémy Gueffier, Fabienne Guesdon, Morgan Lopez, Olivier Masson, Pierre-Yves Meslin, Yves Meyerfeld, Nicolas Pascal, Eric Pique, Michel Ramonet, Felix Starck, and Romain Vidal
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6265–6300, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6265-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6265-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Pyrenean Platform for Observation of the Atmosphere (P2OA) is a coupled plain–mountain instrumented platform in southwestern France for the monitoring of climate variables and the study of meteorological processes in a mountainous region. A comprehensive description of this platform is presented for the first time: its instrumentation, the associated dataset, and a meteorological characterization the site. The potential of the P2OA is illustrated through several examples of process studies.
Sarah Tinorua, Cyrielle Denjean, Pierre Nabat, Véronique Pont, Mathilde Arnaud, Thierry Bourrianne, Maria Dias Alves, and Eric Gardrat
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3897–3915, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3897-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3897-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The three most widely used techniques for measuring black carbon (BC) have been deployed continuously for 2 years at a French high-altitude research station. Despite a similar temporal variation in the BC load, we found significant biases by up to a factor of 8 between the three instruments. This study raises questions about the relevance of using these instruments for specific background sites, as well as the processing of their data, which can vary according to the atmospheric conditions.
Antonin Soulie, Claire Granier, Sabine Darras, Nicolas Zilbermann, Thierno Doumbia, Marc Guevara, Jukka-Pekka Jalkanen, Sekou Keita, Cathy Liousse, Monica Crippa, Diego Guizzardi, Rachel Hoesly, and Steven J. Smith
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 2261–2279, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2261-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2261-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Anthropogenic emissions are the result of transportation, power generation, industrial, residential and commercial activities as well as waste treatment and agriculture practices. This work describes the new CAMS-GLOB-ANT gridded inventory of 2000–2023 anthropogenic emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases. The methodology to generate the emissions is explained and the datasets are analysed and compared with publicly available global and regional inventories for selected world regions.
Karine Desboeufs, Paola Formenti, Raquel Torres-Sánchez, Kerstin Schepanski, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Stefanie Feuerstein, Benoit Laurent, Danitza Klopper, Andreas Namwoonde, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Anaïs Feron, Cécile Mirande-Bret, Sylvain Triquet, and Stuart J. Piketh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1525–1541, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1525-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1525-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates the fractional solubility of iron (Fe) in dust particles along the coast of Namibia, a critical region for the atmospheric Fe supply of the South Atlantic Ocean. Our results suggest a possible two-way interplay whereby marine biogenic emissions from the coastal marine ecosystems into the atmosphere would increase the solubility of Fe-bearing dust by photo-reduction processes. The subsequent deposition of soluble Fe could act to further enhance marine biogenic emissions.
Money Ossohou, Jonathan Edward Hickman, Lieven Clarisse, Pierre-François Coheur, Martin Van Damme, Marcellin Adon, Véronique Yoboué, Eric Gardrat, Maria Dias Alvès, and Corinne Galy-Lacaux
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 9473–9494, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9473-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9473-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The updated analyses of ground-based concentrations and satellite total vertical columns of atmospheric ammonia help us to better understand 21st century ammonia dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa. We conclude that the drivers of trends are agriculture in the dry savanna of Katibougou, Mali; air temperature and agriculture in the wet savanna of Djougou, Benin, and Lamto, Côte d'Ivoire; and leaf area index, air temperature, residential, and agriculture in forests of Bomassa, Republic of Congo.
Matti Räsänen, Mika Aurela, Ville Vakkari, Johan P. Beukes, Juha-Pekka Tuovinen, Pieter G. Van Zyl, Miroslav Josipovic, Stefan J. Siebert, Tuomas Laurila, Markku Kulmala, Lauri Laakso, Janne Rinne, Ram Oren, and Gabriel Katul
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 5773–5791, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5773-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5773-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The productivity of semiarid grazed grasslands is linked to the variation in rainfall and transpiration. By combining carbon dioxide and water flux measurements, we show that the annual transpiration is nearly constant during wet years while grasses react quickly to dry spells and drought, which reduce transpiration. The planning of annual grazing strategies could consider the early-season rainfall frequency that was linked to the portion of annual transpiration.
Mohamed Lamine Kassamba-Diaby, Corinne Galy-Lacaux, Veronique Yoboué, Jonathan E. Hickman, Kerneels Jaars, Sylvain Gnamien, Richmond Konan, Eric Gardrat, and Siele Silué
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-994, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-994, 2022
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
This work presents the chemical composition of precipitation from 2018 to 2020 at three sites representative of a south-north transect in Côte d'Ivoire. It includes two urban sites (Abidjan and Korhogo) and one rural site (Lamto). Measured rain chemical content and wet deposition fluxes highlights different dominant sources contributions i.e anthropogenic sources (traffic, construction, industry) at urban sites and biomass burning at the rural site.
Michael John Weston, Stuart John Piketh, Frédéric Burnet, Stephen Broccardo, Cyrielle Denjean, Thierry Bourrianne, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10221–10245, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10221-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10221-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
An aerosol-aware microphysics scheme is evaluated for fog cases in Namibia. AEROCLO-sA campaign observations are used to access and parameterise the model. The model cloud condensation nuclei activation is lower than the observations. The scheme is designed for clouds with updrafts, while fog typically forms in stable conditions. A pseudo updraft speed assigned to the lowest model levels helps achieve more realistic cloud droplet number concentration and size distribution in the model.
Cyrille Flamant, Marco Gaetani, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Patrick Chazette, Juan Cuesta, Stuart John Piketh, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5701–5724, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5701-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5701-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Rivers of smoke extend from tropical southern Africa towards the Indian Ocean during the winter fire season, controlled by the interaction of tropical easterly waves, and westerly waves at mid latitudes. During the AEROCLO-sA field campaign in 2017, a river of smoke was directly observed over Namibia. In this paper, the evolution and atmospheric drivers of the river of smoke are described, and the role of a mid-latitude cut-off low in lifting the smoke to the upper troposphere is highlighted.
Clémence Rose, Martine Collaud Coen, Elisabeth Andrews, Yong Lin, Isaline Bossert, Cathrine Lund Myhre, Thomas Tuch, Alfred Wiedensohler, Markus Fiebig, Pasi Aalto, Andrés Alastuey, Elisabeth Alonso-Blanco, Marcos Andrade, Begoña Artíñano, Todor Arsov, Urs Baltensperger, Susanne Bastian, Olaf Bath, Johan Paul Beukes, Benjamin T. Brem, Nicolas Bukowiecki, Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Sébastien Conil, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Olivier Favez, Harald Flentje, Maria I. Gini, Francisco Javier Gómez-Moreno, Martin Gysel-Beer, Anna Gannet Hallar, Ivo Kalapov, Nikos Kalivitis, Anne Kasper-Giebl, Melita Keywood, Jeong Eun Kim, Sang-Woo Kim, Adam Kristensson, Markku Kulmala, Heikki Lihavainen, Neng-Huei Lin, Hassan Lyamani, Angela Marinoni, Sebastiao Martins Dos Santos, Olga L. Mayol-Bracero, Frank Meinhardt, Maik Merkel, Jean-Marc Metzger, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Jakub Ondracek, Marco Pandolfi, Noemi Pérez, Tuukka Petäjä, Jean-Eudes Petit, David Picard, Jean-Marc Pichon, Veronique Pont, Jean-Philippe Putaud, Fabienne Reisen, Karine Sellegri, Sangeeta Sharma, Gerhard Schauer, Patrick Sheridan, James Patrick Sherman, Andreas Schwerin, Ralf Sohmer, Mar Sorribas, Junying Sun, Pierre Tulet, Ville Vakkari, Pieter Gideon van Zyl, Fernando Velarde, Paolo Villani, Stergios Vratolis, Zdenek Wagner, Sheng-Hsiang Wang, Kay Weinhold, Rolf Weller, Margarita Yela, Vladimir Zdimal, and Paolo Laj
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17185–17223, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17185-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17185-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles are a complex component of the atmospheric system the effects of which are among the most uncertain in climate change projections. Using data collected at 62 stations, this study provides the most up-to-date picture of the spatial distribution of particle number concentration and size distribution worldwide, with the aim of contributing to better representation of aerosols and their interactions with clouds in models and, therefore, better evaluation of their impact on climate.
Danitza Klopper, Stuart J. Piketh, Roelof Burger, Simon Dirkse, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-668, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-668, 2021
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
The western coast of southern Africa is a key region of the Earth, with persistent clouds and particles also transported from distant forest fires. The atmosphere is stratified as a result of the different temperatures of the cold Atlantic ocean and the warm semi-arid land, and that affects how the particles will be distributed whilst in the atmosphere and how long they will persist. We used long term satellite and in situ observations to describe, for the first time, those main features.
Sekou Keita, Catherine Liousse, Eric-Michel Assamoi, Thierno Doumbia, Evelyne Touré N'Datchoh, Sylvain Gnamien, Nellie Elguindi, Claire Granier, and Véronique Yoboué
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 3691–3705, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-3691-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-3691-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This inventory fills the gap in African regional inventories, providing biofuel and fossil fuel emissions that take into account African specificities. It could be used for air quality modeling. We show that all pollutant emissions are globally increasing during the period 1990–2015. Also, West Africa and East Africa emissions are largely due to domestic fire and traffic activities, while southern Africa and northern Africa emissions are largely due to industrial and power plant sources.
Jean-François Léon, Aristide Barthélémy Akpo, Mouhamadou Bedou, Julien Djossou, Marleine Bodjrenou, Véronique Yoboué, and Cathy Liousse
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 1815–1834, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1815-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1815-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We have investigated the aerosol optical depth (AOD) and its relation to PM2.5 surface concentrations in southern West Africa based on in situ observations (2015–2017 period) and MODIS satellite data (2003–2019). MODIS AODs are validated using a regional network of handheld and automatic sun photometers. Satellite-derived PM2.5 shows an increasing trend during the short dry period that is possibly linked to the increase in anthropogenic emission over this area.
Jens Redemann, Robert Wood, Paquita Zuidema, Sarah J. Doherty, Bernadette Luna, Samuel E. LeBlanc, Michael S. Diamond, Yohei Shinozuka, Ian Y. Chang, Rei Ueyama, Leonhard Pfister, Ju-Mee Ryoo, Amie N. Dobracki, Arlindo M. da Silva, Karla M. Longo, Meloë S. Kacenelenbogen, Connor J. Flynn, Kristina Pistone, Nichola M. Knox, Stuart J. Piketh, James M. Haywood, Paola Formenti, Marc Mallet, Philip Stier, Andrew S. Ackerman, Susanne E. Bauer, Ann M. Fridlind, Gregory R. Carmichael, Pablo E. Saide, Gonzalo A. Ferrada, Steven G. Howell, Steffen Freitag, Brian Cairns, Brent N. Holben, Kirk D. Knobelspiesse, Simone Tanelli, Tristan S. L'Ecuyer, Andrew M. Dzambo, Ousmane O. Sy, Greg M. McFarquhar, Michael R. Poellot, Siddhant Gupta, Joseph R. O'Brien, Athanasios Nenes, Mary Kacarab, Jenny P. S. Wong, Jennifer D. Small-Griswold, Kenneth L. Thornhill, David Noone, James R. Podolske, K. Sebastian Schmidt, Peter Pilewskie, Hong Chen, Sabrina P. Cochrane, Arthur J. Sedlacek, Timothy J. Lang, Eric Stith, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Richard A. Ferrare, Sharon P. Burton, Chris A. Hostetler, David J. Diner, Felix C. Seidel, Steven E. Platnick, Jeffrey S. Myers, Kerry G. Meyer, Douglas A. Spangenberg, Hal Maring, and Lan Gao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 1507–1563, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1507-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1507-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Southern Africa produces significant biomass burning emissions whose impacts on regional and global climate are poorly understood. ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) is a 5-year NASA investigation designed to study the key processes that determine these climate impacts. The main purpose of this paper is to familiarize the broader scientific community with the ORACLES project, the dataset it produced, and the most important initial findings.
Danitza Klopper, Paola Formenti, Andreas Namwoonde, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Anaïs Feron, Cécile Gaimoz, Patrick Hease, Fadi Lahmidi, Cécile Mirande-Bret, Sylvain Triquet, Zirui Zeng, and Stuart J. Piketh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 15811–15833, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15811-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15811-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The chemical composition of aerosol particles is very important as it determines to which extent they can affect the Earth's climate by acting with solar light and modifying the properties of clouds. The South Atlantic region is a remote and under-explored region to date where these effects could be important. The measurements presented in this paper consist in the analysis of samples collected at a coastal site in Namibia. The first long-term source apportionment is presented and discussed.
Cited articles
Adesina, J. A., Piketh, S. J., Qhekwana, M., Burger, R., Language, B., and Mkhatshwa, G.: Contrasting indoor and ambient particulate matter concentrations and thermal comfort in coal and non-coal burning households at South Africa Highveld, Sci. Total Environ., 699, 134403, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134403, 2020.
Adgate, J. L., Mongin, S. J., Pratt, G. C., Zhang, J., Field, M. P.,
Ramachandran, G., and Sexton, K.: Relationships between personal, indoor,
and outdoor exposures to trace elements in PM2.5, Sci. Total Environ.,
386, 21–32, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.07.007,
2007.
Adon, A. J., Liousse, C., Doumbia, E. T., Baeza-Squiban, A., Cachier, H., Léon, J.-F., Yoboué, V., Akpo, A. B., Galy-Lacaux, C., Guinot, B., Zouiten, C., Xu, H., Gardrat, E., and Keita, S.: Physico-chemical characterization of urban aerosols from specific combustion sources in West Africa at Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire and Cotonou in Benin in the frame of the DACCIWA program, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 5327–5354, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-5327-2020, 2020.
Aurela, M., Beukes, J. P., Van Zyl, P. G., Vakkari, V., Teinilä, K.,
Saarikoski, S., and Laakso, L.: The composition of ambient and fresh biomass
burning aerosols at a savannah site, South Africa, S. Afr. J. Sci., 112, 2015–0223, https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2016/20150223, 2016.
Booyens, W., Van Zyl, P. G., Beukes, J. P., Ruiz-Jimenez, J., Kopperi, M., Riekkola, M.-L., Josipovic, M., Venter, A. D., Jaars, K., Laakso, L., Vakkari, V., Kulmala, M., and Pienaar, J. J.: Size-resolved characterisation of organic compounds in atmospheric aerosols collected at Welgegund, South Africa, J. Atmos. Chem., 72, 43–64, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10874-015-9304-6, 2015.
Bressi, M., Sciare, J., Ghersi, V., Bonnaire, N., Nicolas, J. B., Petit, J.-E., Moukhtar, S., Rosso, A., Mihalopoulos, N., and Féron, A.: A one-year comprehensive chemical characterisation of fine aerosol (PM2.5) at urban, suburban and rural background sites in the region of Paris (France), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 7825–7844, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-7825-2013, 2013.
Bruce, N., Perez-Padilla, R., and Albalak, R.: Indoor air pollution in
developing countries: a major environmental and public health challenge,
B. World Health Organ., 78, 1078–1092, 2000.
Cachier, H., Bremond, M.-P., and Buat-Ménard, P.: Determination of Atmospheric Soot Carbon with a Simple Thermal Method, Tellus B, 41, 379–390, https://doi.org/10.3402/tellusb.v41i3.15095, 1989.
Cao, J. J., Huang, H., Lee, S. C., Chow, J. C., Zou, C. W., Ho, K. F., and
Watson, J. G.: Indoor
Castro, T., Peralta, O., Salcedo, D., Santos, J., Saaverda, M. I., Espinoza,
M. L., Salcido, A., Celada-Murillo, A.-T., Carreón-Sierra, S., and
Álvarez-Ospina, H.: Water-soluble inorganic ions of size-differentiated
atmospheric particles from a suburban site of Mexico City, J. Atmos. Chem., 75,
155–169, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10874-017-9369-5, 2018.
Chiapello, I., Bergametti, G., Chatenet, B., Bousquet, P., Dulac, F., and
Santos Soares, E.: Origins of African Dust Transported over the Northeastern
Tropical Atlantic, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 102, 13701–13709, https://doi.org/10.1029/97JD00259, 1997.
Chiloane, K. E., Beukes, J. P., van Zyl, P. G., Maritz, P., Vakkari, V., Josipovic, M., Venter, A. D., Jaars, K., Tiitta, P., Kulmala, M., Wiedensohler, A., Liousse, C., Mkhatshwa, G. V., Ramandh, A., and Laakso, L.: Spatial, temporal and source contribution assessments of black carbon over the northern interior of South Africa, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 6177–6196, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-6177-2017, 2017.
Conradie, E. H., Van Zyl, P. G., Pienaar, J. J., Beukes, J. P., Galy-Lacaux,
C., Venter, A. D., and Mkhatshwa, G. V.: The chemical composition and fluxes
of atmospheric wet deposition at four sites in South Africa, Atmos.
Environ., 146, 113–131,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2016.07.033, 2016.
DEA (Department of Environmental Affairs): National Environmental Management:
Air Quality Act, 2004 (ACT NO. 39 OF 2004) National ambient air quality
standards, Government Gazette, Pretoria, South Africa, 24 December 2009,
6–9, 2009.
Djossou, J., Léon, J.-F., Akpo, A. B., Liousse, C., Yoboué, V., Bedou, M., Bodjrenou, M., Chiron, C., Galy-Lacaux, C., Gardrat, E., Abbey, M., Keita, S., Bahino, J., Touré N'Datchoh, E., Ossohou, M., and Awanou, C. N.: Mass concentration, optical depth and carbon composition of particulate matter in the major southern West African cities of Cotonou (Benin) and Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 6275–6291, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6275-2018, 2018.
Duan, J., Tan, J., Wang, S., Hao, J., and Chai, F. G.: Size distributions and sources of elements in particulate matter at curbside, urban and rural sites in Beijing, J. Environ. Sci., 24, 87–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-0742(11)60731-6, 2012.
ECAQ (European Commission on Air Quality): Air Quality Standards, Directive
2008/50/EC adopted on 21 May 2008 (last updated: September 2019), http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/quality/standards.htm
(last access: 6 November 2021), 2008.
Gawhane, R. D., Rao, P. S. P., Budhavant, K. B., Waghmare, V., Meshram, D.
C., and Safai, P. D.: Seasonal variation of chemical composition and source
apportionment of PM2.5 in Pune, India, Environ. Sci.
Pollut. R., 24, 21065–21072, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9761-3, 2017.
Goldstein, A. H. and Galbally, I. E.: Known and Unexplored Organic Constituents in the Earth’s Atmosphere, Environ. Sci. Technol., 41, 1514–14552, https://doi.org/10.1021/es072476p, 2007.
Guinot, B., Cachier, H., and Oikonomou, K.: Geochemical perspectives from a new aerosol chemical mass closure, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 7, 1657–1670, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-7-1657-2007, 2007.
Ho, K. F., Cao, J. J., Harrison, R. M., Lee, S. C., and Bau, K. K.: Indoor/outdoor relationships of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in PM2.5 in roadside environment of Hong Kong, Atmos. Environ., 28, 6327–6335, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2004.08.007, 2004.
Ibrahim, A. S. and Habbani, F. I.: Black Carbon Aerosols Impact of Khartoum
Petroleum Refinery at Khartoum State, Sudan Journal of Science, 5, 69–83,
2013.
Joseph, A. E., Unnikrishnan, S., and Kumar, R.: Chemical Characterization
and Mass Closure of Fine Aerosol for Different Land Use Patterns in Mumbai
City, Aerosol Air Qual. Res., 12, 61–72, https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2011.04.0049, 2012.
Josipovic, M., Leal-Liousee, C., Crobeddu, B., Baeza-Squiban, A., Segakweng
C. K., Galy-Lacaux, C., Beukes, J. P., Van Zyl, P. G., and Fourie, G.: Aerosol
characterisation including oxidative potential as a proxy of health impact:
A case of a residential site in a highly industrialised area, Clean Air
Journal, 29, 1–16, https://doi.org/10.17159/caj/2019/29/2.7517, 2019.
Kapwata, T., Language, B., Piketh, S., and Wright, C. Y.: Variation of Indoor Particulate Matter Concentrations and Association with Indoor/Outdoor Temperature: A Case Study in Rural Limpopo, South Africa, Atmosphere, 9, 124. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos9040124, 2018.
Kgabi, N. A.: Monitoring the levels of toxic metals of atmospheric
particulate matter in the Rustenburg district, MSc Thesis, North-West
University, Potchefstroom, South Africa, 2006.
Kleynhans, E. H.: Spatial and temporal distribution of trace elements in
aerosols in the Vaal triangle, MSc thesis, North-West University,
Potchefstroom, South Africa, 2008.
Kulmala, M., Alekseychik, P., Paramonov, M., Laurila, T., Asmi, E., Almut
Arneth, A., Zilitinkevich, S., and Kerminenm V-M.: On Measurements of
Aerosol Particles and Greenhouse Gases in Siberia and Future Research
Needs, Boreal Environ. Res., 16, 337–62, 2011.
Kumar, S. and Raman, R. S.: Inorganic ions in ambient fine particles over a
National Park in central India: Seasonality, dependencies between
SO
Laban, T. L., van Zyl, P. G., Beukes, J. P., Vakkari, V., Jaars, K., Borduas-Dedekind, N., Josipovic, M., Thompson, A. M., Kulmala, M., and Laakso, L.: Seasonal influences on surface ozone variability in continental South Africa and implications for air quality, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 15491–15514, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-15491-2018, 2018.
Langerman, K. E., Pauw, C. J., Smith, H. J., and Piketh, S. J.: Moving households to cleaner energy through air quality offsets, International Conference on the Domestic Use of Energy (DUE), 1–8, https://doi.org/10.23919/DUE.2018.8384405, 2018.
Language, B., Piketh, S. J., Wernecke, B., and Burger, R.: Household Air
Pollution in South African Low-Income Settlements: A Case Study, Crete, Greece, WIT
Trans. Ecol. Envir., 207, 227–236, 2016.
Lourens, A. S. M., Beukes, J. ., Van Zyl, P.G ., Fourie, G. D., Burger, J. W., Pienaar, J. J., Read, C. E., and Jordaan, J. H. L.: Spatial and Temporal assessment of Gaseous Pollutants in the Mpumalanga Highveld of South Africa, South African Journal of Science, S. Afr. J. Sci., 107, 269, https://doi.org/10.4102/sajs.v107i1/2.269, 2011.
Maritz, P., Beukes, J. P., Van Zyl, P. G., Liousse, C., Gardrat, E., Ramandh, A., and Mkhatshwa, G. V.: Temporal and source assessments of organic and elemental carbon at sites in the northern South African interior, J. Atmos. Chem., 76, 263–287, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10874-020-09398-2, 2019.
Mouli, P. C., Mohan, S. V., Balaram, V., Kumar, M. V., and Reddy, S. J.: A
study on trace elemental composition of atmospheric aerosols at a semi-arid
urban site using ICP-MS technique, Atmos. Environ., 40, 136–146, 2006.
NICD (National Institute for Communicable Diseases): Annual Review, https://www.nhls.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/NICD_Annual_Review_2017_18.pdf (last access: October 2021),
2017–2018.
Pacyna, J. M.: Source inventories for atmospheric trace metals, Atmospheric
Particles, IUPAC Series on Analytical and Physical Chemistry of
Environmental Systems, vol. 5, edited by: Harrison, R. M. and Van Grieken, R. E.,
Wiley, Chichester, UK, 385–423, ISBN-13 978-0471959359, 1998.
Pope, C. D., Burnett, R. T., Thun, M. J., Calle, E. E., Krewski, D., Ito, K., and Thurston, G. D.: Lung Cancer, Cardiopulmonary Mortality, and Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Air Pollution, J. Am. Med. Assoc., 287, 1132–1141, https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.287.9.1132, 2002.
Pope III, C. A. and Dockery, D. W.: Health Effects of Fine Particulate Air
Pollution: Lines that Connect, J. Air Waste Manage., 56, 709–742, https://doi.org/10.1080/10473289.2006.10464485, 2006.
Pöschl, U.: Atmospheric Aerosols: Composition, Transformation, Climate
and Health Effects, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 44, 7520–7540,
https://doi.org?10.1002/anie.200501122, 2005.
Qiu, X., Duan, L., Gao, J., Wang, S., Chai, F., Hu, J., Zhang, J., and Yun,
Y.: Chemical composition and source apportionment of PM10 and
PM2.5 in different functional areas of Lanzhou, China, J. Environ.
Sci., 40, 75–83, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2015.10.021,
2016.
Rivas, I., Vianna, M., Moreno, T., Pandolfi, M., Amato, F., Reche, C.,
Bouso, L., Àlvarez-Pedrerol, M., Alastuey, A., Sunyer, J., and Querol,
X.: Child exposure to indoor air pollutants in schools in Barcelona, Spain,
Environmental International, 69, 200–212, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.04.009, 2014.
Sciare, J., Oikonomou, K., Cachier, H., Mihalopoulos, N., Andreae, M. O., Maenhaut, W., and Sarda-Estève, R.: Aerosol mass closure and reconstruction of the light scattering coefficient over the Eastern Mediterranean Sea during the MINOS campaign, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 5, 2253–2265, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-5-2253-2005, 2005.
Seinfeld, J. H. and Pandis, S.N .: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: From Air
Pollution to Climate Change, 2nd edn., Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., ISBN-13 978-0471720188,
2006.
Shao, P., Tian, H., Sun, Y., Liu, H., Wu, B., Liu, S., Liu, X., Wu, Y.,
Liang, W., and Wang, Y.: Characterizing remarkable changes of severe haze
events and chemical compositions in multi-size airborne particles (PM1,
PM2.5 and PM10) from January 2013 to 2016–2017 winter in Beijing,
China. Atmos. Environ., 189, 133–144, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2018.06.038, 2018.
Sharma, S. K., Choudhary, N., Srivastava, P., Naja, M., Vijayan, N.,
Kotnala, G., and Mandal, T. K.: Variation of carbonaceous species and trace
elements in PM10 at a mountain site in the central Himalayan region of
India, J. Atmos. Chem., 77, 49–62, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10874-020-09402-9, 2020.
Szigeti, T., Óvári, M., Dunster, C., Kelly, F. J., Lucarelli, F., and Záray, G.: Changes in chemical composition and oxidative potential
of urban PM2.5 between 2010 and 2013 in Hungary, Sci. Total
Environ., 518, 534–544, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.025, 2015.
Terzi, E., Argyropoulos, G., Bougatioti, A., Mihalopoulos, N., Nikolaou, K.,
and Samara, C.: Chemical composition and mass closure of ambient PM10
at urban sites, Atmos. Environ., 44, 2231–2239, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2010.02.019, 2010.
Tiitta, P., Vakkari, V., Croteau, P., Beukes, J. P., van Zyl, P. G., Josipovic, M., Venter, A. D., Jaars, K., Pienaar, J. J., Ng, N. L., Canagaratna, M. R., Jayne, J. T., Kerminen, V.-M., Kokkola, H., Kulmala, M., Laaksonen, A., Worsnop, D. R., and Laakso, L.: Chemical composition, main sources and temporal variability of PM1 aerosols in southern African grassland, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 1909–1927, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-1909-2014, 2014.
Vakkari, V., Kerminen, V.-M., Beukes, J.P., Tiitta, P., Van Zyl, P. G., Josipovic, M., Venter, A. D., Jaars, K., Worsnop, D. R., Kulmala, M., Laakso, L.: Rapid changes in biomass burning aerosols by atmospheric oxidation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 2644–2651, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL059396, 2014.
Val, S., Liousse, C., Doumbia, E. H. T., Galy-Lacaux, C., Cachier, H.,
Marchand, N., Badel, A., Gardrat, E., Sylvestre, A., and Baeza-Squiban, A.:
Physico-chemical characterization of African urban aerosols (Bamako in Mali
and Dakar in Senegal) and their toxic effects in human bronchial epithelial
cells: description of a worrying situation, Particle Fibre Toxicology, 10,
10, https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-8977-10-10, 2013.
Van der Walt, A. J. and Fitchett, J. M.: Statistical classification of South
African seasonal divisions on the basis of daily temperature data, S. Afr.
J. Sci. 116, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2020/7614,
2020.
Van Zyl, P. G.: Segakweng et al. 2021 dataset.xlsx, figshare [data set],
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.17197247.v1, 2021.
Van Zyl, P. G., Beukes, J. P., Du Toit, G., Mabaso, D., Hendriks, J.,
Vakkari, V., Tiitta, P., Pienaar, J. J., Kulmala, M., and Laakso, L.:
Assessment of atmospheric trace metals in the western Bushveld Igneous
Complex, South Africa, S. Afr. J. Sci., 110, 11,
https://doi.org/10.1590/sajs.2014/20130280, 2014.
Venter, A. D., Vakkari, V., Beukes, J. P., Van Zyl, P. G., Laakso, H., Mabaso, D., Tiitta, P., Josipovic, M., Kulmala, M., Pienaar, J. J., and Laakso, L.: An air quality assessment in the industrialised western Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa, S. Afr. J. Sci., 108, 1059, https://doi.org/10.4102/sajs.v108i9/10.1059, 2012.
Venter, A. D., van Zyl, P. G., Beukes, J. P., Josipovic, M., Hendriks, J., Vakkari, V., and Laakso, L.: Atmospheric trace metals measured at a regional background site (Welgegund) in South Africa, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 4251–4263, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-4251-2017, 2017.
Venter, A. D., Van Zyl, P. G., Beukes, J. P., Swartz, J., Miroslav Josipovic,
M., Vakkari, V., Laakso, L., and Kulmala, M.: Size-resolved characteristics
of inorganic ionic species in atmospheric aerosols at a regional background
site on the South African Highveld, Atmos. Chem., 75, 285–304, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10874-018-9378-z, 2018.
(WHO) World Health Organization. Air quality guidelines – global update 2005, https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/8712 (last access: June 2021), 2006.
Xu, J., Tai, X., Betha, R., He, J., and Balasubramanian, R.: Comparison of
physical and chemical properties of ambient aerosols during the 2009 haze
and non-haze periods in Southeast Asia, Environ. Geochem.
Hlth., 37, 831–841, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-014-9667-7,
2015.
Xulu, N. A., Piketh, S. J., Feig, G. T., Lack, D. A., and
Garland, R. M.: Characterizing Light-Absorbing Aerosols in a
Low-Income Settlement in South Africa, Aerosol Air Qual. Res.,
20, 1812–1832, https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2019.09.0443,
2020.
Short summary
A detailed size-resolved assessment of the chemical characteristics of outdoor and indoor aerosols collected in low-income urban settlements in South Africa indicated the significance of household combustion for cooking and space heating – an important source of pollutants in the developing world – to atmospheric chemical composition. The regional impact of industrial sources in the highly industrialised and densely populated north-eastern interior of South Africa was also evident.
A detailed size-resolved assessment of the chemical characteristics of outdoor and indoor...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint