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Li K, Zhang J, Bell DM, Wang T, Lamkaddam H, Cui T, Qi L, Surdu M, Wang D, Du L, El Haddad I, Slowik JG, Prevot ASH. Uncovering the dominant contribution of intermediate volatility compounds in secondary organic aerosol formation from biomass-burning emissions. Natl Sci Rev 2024; 11:nwae014. [PMID: 38390366 PMCID: PMC10883696 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwae014] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Organic vapors from biomass burning are a major source of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Previous smog chamber studies found that the SOA contributors in biomass-burning emissions are mainly volatile organic compounds (VOCs). While intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) are efficient SOA precursors and contribute a considerable fraction of biomass-burning emissions, their contribution to SOA formation has not been directly observed. Here, by deploying a newly-developed oxidation flow reactor to study SOA formation from wood burning, we find that IVOCs can contribute ∼70% of the formed SOA, i.e. >2 times more than VOCs. This previously missing SOA fraction is interpreted to be due to the high wall losses of semi-volatile oxidation products of IVOCs in smog chambers. The finding in this study reveals that SOA production from biomass burning is much higher than previously thought, and highlights the urgent need for more research on the IVOCs from biomass burning and potentially other emission sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Li
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - Jun Zhang
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - David M Bell
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - Tiantian Wang
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - Houssni Lamkaddam
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - Tianqu Cui
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - Lu Qi
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - Mihnea Surdu
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - Dongyu Wang
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - Lin Du
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Imad El Haddad
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - Jay G Slowik
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - Andre S H Prevot
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
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He M, Ditto JC, Gardner L, Machesky J, Hass-Mitchell TN, Chen C, Khare P, Sahin B, Fortner JD, Plata DL, Drollette BD, Hayden KL, Wentzell JJB, Mittermeier RL, Leithead A, Lee P, Darlington A, Wren SN, Zhang J, Wolde M, Moussa SG, Li SM, Liggio J, Gentner DR. Total organic carbon measurements reveal major gaps in petrochemical emissions reporting. Science 2024; 383:426-432. [PMID: 38271520 DOI: 10.1126/science.adj6233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic organic carbon emissions reporting has been largely limited to subsets of chemically speciated volatile organic compounds. However, new aircraft-based measurements revealed total gas-phase organic carbon emissions that exceed oil sands industry-reported values by 1900% to over 6300%, the bulk of which was due to unaccounted-for intermediate-volatility and semivolatile organic compounds. Measured facility-wide emissions represented approximately 1% of extracted petroleum, resulting in total organic carbon emissions equivalent to that from all other sources across Canada combined. These real-world observations demonstrate total organic carbon measurements as a means of detecting unknown or underreported carbon emissions regardless of chemical features. Because reporting gaps may include hazardous, reactive, or secondary air pollutants, fully constraining the impact of anthropogenic emissions necessitates routine, comprehensive total organic carbon monitoring as an inherent check on mass closure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan He
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jenna C Ditto
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lexie Gardner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jo Machesky
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tori N Hass-Mitchell
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Christina Chen
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Peeyush Khare
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bugra Sahin
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - John D Fortner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Desiree L Plata
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Brian D Drollette
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Katherine L Hayden
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jeremy J B Wentzell
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Richard L Mittermeier
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amy Leithead
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Patrick Lee
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Darlington
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sumi N Wren
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Junhua Zhang
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Samar G Moussa
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shao-Meng Li
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - John Liggio
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Drew R Gentner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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