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Rana A, Sarkar S. The role of nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) in constraining BrC absorption in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 917:170523. [PMID: 38296066 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
We present here the first measurements of nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) including nitrophenols (NPs), nitrocatechols (NCs) and nitrosalicylic acids (NSAs) from the Indian subcontinent and their role in constraining brown carbon (BrC) absorption. NACs at a rural receptor site in the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) (annual average: 185 ± 94 ng m-3) was dominated by NSAs (135 ± 77 ng m-3), followed by NPs (29 ± 11 ng m-3) and NCs (17 ± 16 ng m-3), with notable enrichments during nighttime and during the biomass burning seasons. An equilibrium absorption partitioning model estimated that >90 % of NSAs and NCs were in the particle-phase, suggesting lower degradation rates via oxidation and photolysis potentially due to year-round high relative humidity. While the contribution of NACs to organic aerosol mass was only 0.42 ± 0.23 %, their contribution to BrC absorption in the 300-450 nm range was higher by an order of magnitude (8 ± 4 %), with NCs and NSAs contributing almost equally in the low-visible (400-450 nm) range as at 365 nm. Despite having mass concentrations lower than NPs by factors of ∼2, contribution of NCs to BrC absorption at λ ≥ 400 nm was comparable to that by NPs, indicating the importance of the absorption efficiency of chromophores. The receptor model positive matrix factorization (PMF) quantified three major NAC sources: fossil fuel combustion (49 ± 15 %; annual average), secondary formation (40 ± 12 %), and biomass burning (11 ± 9 %), with variable contributions on seasonal and day-night bases. In summary, the study uncovered the significant role of NACs in constraining BrC absorption in the IGP, which stresses the importance for molecular-level characterization of BrC chromophores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archita Rana
- Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, 741246, Nadia, India
| | - Sayantan Sarkar
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, Kamand, Himachal Pradesh, 175005, India.
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Devaprasad M, Rastogi N, Satish R, Patel A, Dabhi A, Shivam A, Bhushan R, Meena R. Dual carbon isotope-based brown carbon aerosol characteristics at a high-altitude site in the northeastern Himalayas: Role of biomass burning. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169451. [PMID: 38143007 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
PM2.5 samples (n = 34) were collected from January to April 2017 over Shillong (25.7°N, 91.9°E; 1064 m amsl), a high-altitude site situated in the northeastern Himalaya. The main aim was to understand the sources, characteristics, and optical properties of local vs long-range transported carbonaceous aerosols (CA) using chemical species and dual carbon isotopes (13C and 14C). Percentage biomass burning (BB)/biogenic fraction (fbio, calculated from 14C) varied from 67 to 92 % (78 ± 7) and correlated well with primary BB tracers like f60, and K+, suggesting BB as a considerable source. Rain events are shown to reduce the fbio fraction, indicating majority of BB-derived CA are transported. Further, δ13C (-26.6 ± 0.4) variability was very low over Shillong, suggesting it's limitations in source apportionment over the study region, if used alone. Average ratio of absorption coefficient of methanol-soluble BrC (BrCMS) to water-soluble BrC (BrCWS) at 365 nm was 1.8, indicating a significant part of BrC was water-insoluble. A good positive correlation between fbio and mass absorption efficiency of BrCWS and BrCMS at 365 nm with the higher slope for BrCMS suggests BB derived water-insoluble BrC was more absorbing. Relative radiative forcing (RRF, 300 to 2500 nm) of BrCWS and BrCMS with respect to EC were 11 ± 5 % and 23 ± 16 %, respectively. Further, the RRF of BrCMS was up to 60 %, and that of BrCWS was up to 22 % with respect to EC for the samples with fbio ≥ 0.85 (i.e., dominated by BB), reflecting the importance of BB in BrC RRF estimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Devaprasad
- Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad 380009, India; Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - N Rastogi
- Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad 380009, India.
| | - R Satish
- Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad 380009, India
| | - A Patel
- Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad 380009, India
| | - A Dabhi
- Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad 380009, India
| | - A Shivam
- Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad 380009, India
| | - R Bhushan
- Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad 380009, India
| | - R Meena
- Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad 380009, India
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Paraskevopoulou D, Bikkina S, Grivas G, Kaskaoutis D, Tsagkaraki M, Tavernaraki K, Mihalopoulos N. A direct method to quantify methanol-soluble organic carbon for brown carbon absorption studies. MethodsX 2023; 11:102313. [PMID: 37663004 PMCID: PMC10470224 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The current research provides a newly developed method to quantify methanol-soluble organic carbon (MeS_OC) in aerosol samples. This analytical procedure allows an accurate separation of MeS-OC component, which is critical for the calculation of mass absorption efficiency (MAE) of ambient Brown Carbon (BrC) and consequently its climate relevant potential. The method includes extraction, filtering and condensation stages, leading to the preparation of a highly concentrated product in which MeS-OC can be precisely quantified by a Sunset Carbon Analyzer in a single analysis step. This method can be applied on aerosol collected using either high or low volume samplers, since a relatively small filter area is required for the determination. Furthermore, it eliminates any misestimation of the MeS-OC mass that may appear in other reported techniques that don't seem to include the precise separation of methanol-soluble fraction in their quantification process.•The mass quantification of methanol-soluble organic carbon is essential, contributing up to 50% to the absorptivity of organic aerosol (BrC) at shorter wavelengths.•The method provides a direct measurement of methanol-soluble aerosol components, resolving any potential uncertainties of previously applied methods.•The adoption of this direct quantification approach leads to a rationalization of past MAE estimates for BrC with implications for radiative transfer models.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Paraskevopoulou
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 70013 Crete
| | - S. Bikkina
- Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow - 226007, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - G. Grivas
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece
| | - D.G. Kaskaoutis
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Kozani 50150, Greece
| | - M. Tsagkaraki
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 70013 Crete
| | - K. Tavernaraki
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 70013 Crete
| | - N. Mihalopoulos
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 70013 Crete
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Ramya CB, Aswini AR, Hegde P, Boreddy SKR, Babu SS. Water-soluble organic aerosols over South Asia - Seasonal changes and source characteristics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165644. [PMID: 37495130 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) has been identified as a key component in atmospheric aerosols due to its ability to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) owing to their highly hygroscopic nature. This paper discusses about the spatio-temporal variability in WSOC mass concentration, sources (primary and secondary contributions), the role of long-range air-mass transport in modulating their abundance, at distinct sectors over South Asia. We found from our observations that, photochemical ageing of primary organic aerosols that are derived from biomass emissions, significantly contribute to the total WSOC budget over South Asia. The wide range of water-soluble compounds released by biomass burning can contribute directly to the WSOC fraction or undergo further atmospheric processing, such as oxidation or ageing, leading to the formation of additional WSOC. WSOC/OC (organic carbon) ratio and the correlation between the WSOC and secondary organic carbon (SOC) are used for assessing the contribution from secondary sources. The three different ratios are used to delineate different source processes; OC/EC (elemental carbon) for source identification, WSOC/OC for long-range atmospheric transport (ageing) and WSOC/SOC to understand the primary and secondary contribution of WSOC. The present investigation revealed that, the primary OC that have undergone significant chemical processing as a result of long-range transport have a substantial influence on WSOC formation over South Asia, especially in Indo Gangetic Plain outflow regions such as southern peninsular and adjacent marine regions. Overall, oxidation and ageing of primary organic aerosols emitted from biomass burning was found to serve as an important source of WSOC over South Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- C B Ramya
- Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - A R Aswini
- Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Prashant Hegde
- Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
| | - Suresh K R Boreddy
- Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - S Suresh Babu
- Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, India
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Boreddy SKR, Kawamura K, Gowda D, Deshmukh DK, Narasimhulu K, Ramagopal K. Sulfate-associated liquid water amplifies the formation of oxalic acid at a semi-arid tropical location over peninsular India during winter. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 874:162365. [PMID: 36822414 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Aerosol liquid water (ALW) can serve as an aqueous-phase medium for numerous chemical reactions and consequently enhance the formation of secondary aerosols in a highly humid atmosphere. However, the aqueous-phase formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) is not well understood in the Indian regions, particularly in tropical peninsular India. In this study, we collected total suspended particulate samples (n = 30) at a semiarid station (Ballari; 15.15°N, 76.93°E; 495 m asl) in tropical peninsular India during the winter of 2016. Homologous series of dicarboxylic acids (C2-C12), oxoacids (ωC2-ωC9), pyruvic acid (Pyr), and glyoxal (Gly) were determined by employing a water-extraction of aerosol and analyzed using capillary gas chromatography (GC). Results show that oxalic acid (C2) was the most abundant organic acid, followed by succinic (C4), malonic (C3), azelaic (C9), and glyoxylic (ωC2) or phthalic (Ph) acids. Total diacids-C accounted for 1.7-5.8 % of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and 0.6-3.6 % of total carbon (TC). ALW, estimated from the ISORROPIA 2.1 model, showed a strong linear relationship with sulfate (SO42-), C2, C3, C4, ωC2, Pyr, and Gly. Based on molecular distribution, specific mass ratios (C2/C3, C2/C4, C2/Gly, and Ph/C9), linear relationships among the measured organic acids, ALW, organic (levoglucosan and oleic acid), and inorganic (SO42-) marker compounds, we emphasize that diacids and related organic compounds, especially C2, majorly form via aqueous-phase oxidation of precursor compounds including aromatic hydrocarbons (HCs) and unsaturated fatty acids (FAs) originated from biomass burning and combustion-related sources. The present study demonstrates that sulfate driven ALW largely enhances the formation of SOAs via the aqueous-phase reactions over tropical peninsular India during winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh K R Boreddy
- Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram 695022, India; Institute of Low Temperature Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
| | - Kimitaka Kawamura
- Institute of Low Temperature Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan; Chubu Institute for Advanced Studies, Chubu University, Kasugai 487-8501, Japan
| | - Divyavani Gowda
- Institute of Low Temperature Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan; Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Dhananjay K Deshmukh
- Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram 695022, India
| | - K Narasimhulu
- Department of Physics, SSA Govt. First Grade College, Ballari 583101, India
| | - K Ramagopal
- Department of Physics, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur 515003, India
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Paraskevopoulou D, Kaskaoutis DG, Grivas G, Bikkina S, Tsagkaraki M, Vrettou IM, Tavernaraki K, Papoutsidaki K, Stavroulas I, Liakakou E, Bougiatioti A, Oikonomou K, Gerasopoulos E, Mihalopoulos N. Brown carbon absorption and radiative effects under intense residential wood burning conditions in Southeastern Europe: New insights into the abundance and absorptivity of methanol-soluble organic aerosols. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160434. [PMID: 36427708 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biomass burning is a major source of Brown Carbon (BrC), strongly contributing to radiative forcing. In urban areas of the climate-sensitive Southeastern European region, where strong emissions from residential wood burning (RWB) are reported, radiative impacts of carbonaceous aerosols remain largely unknown. This study examines the absorption properties of water- and methanol-soluble organic carbon (WSOC, MeS_OC) in a city (Ioannina, Greece) heavily impacted by RWB. Measurements were performed during winter (December 2019 - February 2020) and summer (July - August 2019) periods, characterized by RWB and photochemical processing of organic aerosol (OA), respectively. PM2.5 filter extracts were analyzed spectrophotometrically for water- and methanol-soluble BrC (WS_BrC, MeS_BrC) absorption. WSOC concentrations were quantified using TOC analysis, while those of MeS_OC were determined using a newly developed direct quantification protocol, applied for the first time to an extended series of ambient samples. The direct method led to a mean MeS_OC/OC of 0.68 and a more accurate subsequent estimation of absorption efficiencies. The mean winter WS_BrC and MeS_BrC absorptions at 365 nm were 13.9 Mm-1 and 21.9 Mm-1, respectively, suggesting an important fraction of water-insoluble OA. Mean winter WS_BrC and MeS_BrC absorptions were over 10 times those observed in summer. MeS_OC was more absorptive than WSOC in winter (mean mass absorption efficiencies - MAE365: 1.81 vs 1.15 m2 gC-1) and especially in summer (MAE: 1.12 vs 0.27 m2 gC-1) due to photo-dissociation and volatilization of BrC chromophores. The winter radiative forcing (RF) of WS_BrC and MeS_BrC relative to elemental carbon (EC) was estimated at 8.7 % and 16.7 %, respectively, in the 300-2500 nm band. However, those values increased to 48.5 % and 60.2 % at 300-400 nm, indicating that, under intense RWB, BrC forcing becomes comparable to that of soot. The results highlight the consideration of urban BrC emissions in radiative transfer models, as a considerable climate forcing factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Paraskevopoulou
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens 15236, Greece.
| | - D G Kaskaoutis
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens 15236, Greece; Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 70013 Crete, Greece.
| | - G Grivas
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens 15236, Greece
| | - S Bikkina
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India
| | - M Tsagkaraki
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 70013 Crete, Greece
| | - I M Vrettou
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens 15236, Greece
| | - K Tavernaraki
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 70013 Crete, Greece
| | - K Papoutsidaki
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 70013 Crete, Greece
| | - I Stavroulas
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens 15236, Greece; Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 70013 Crete, Greece; Climate and Atmosphere Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - E Liakakou
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens 15236, Greece
| | - A Bougiatioti
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens 15236, Greece
| | - K Oikonomou
- Climate and Atmosphere Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - E Gerasopoulos
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens 15236, Greece
| | - N Mihalopoulos
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Athens 15236, Greece; Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 70013 Crete, Greece
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