Contribution of biomass burning to atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at three European background sites
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2005 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Environmental Science & Technology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Analytic chemistry |
| Keywords | radiocarbon analysis; polyaromatic hydrocarbons; atmosphere; biomass burning; air pollution; Europe |
| Description | Radiocarbon analysis of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from three background areas in Sweden, Croatia and Greece was performed to apportion their origin between fossil and biomass combustion. Diagnostic ratios of PAHs implied that wood and coal combustion was relatively more important in northern Europe, while combustion of fossil fuels was the dominant source of PAHs to the southern European background sites. The stable carbon isotopic composition (d13C) of PAHs ranged from -29.2 to -27.7, suggesting that diesel combustion is of minor importance in all areas. The radiocarbon content (Ä14C) of atmospheric PAHs in Sweden ranged between -388 and -381, while more depleted values were observed for Greece (-914) and Croatia (-888). Using a 14C isotopic mass balance model, it was calculated that biomass burning contributes nearly 10% of the total PAH burden in the studied southern European atmosphere with fossil fuel combustion making up the 90% balance. In contrast, biomass burning contributes about 50% of total PAHs in the aerosols of central Sweden. Our results suggest that the relative contributions of biomass burning and fossil fuels to atmospheric PAHs may differ considerably between countries and therefore different national control strategies might be needed if a further reduction of these pollutants is to be achieved on a continental-global scale. |
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