RESUMEN
In this study, PM2.5 samples were collected from October to November of 2015 in the northern suburb of Nanjing. The mass concentrations of organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and levoglucosan in the samples were analyzed by thermal optical transmittance (TOT) and ion chromatography. The average concentrations of OC and EC were respectively (11.3±4.9) µg·m-3 and (1.1±0.9) µg·m-3. The average total carbon (TC) was 22.9%, and the OC/EC was 7.4. The quality concentrations of PM2.5, OC, EC, and SOC all reflected daytime features, and the correlation between OC and EC was better during the day than at night (correlation coefficients of 0.86 for day and 0.7 for night). By analyzing the mass concentrations of PM2.5, levoglucosan, and SOC, as well as the data of backward trajectories and fire point data, it was determined that the northern suburb of Nanjing is affected by the long-distance transportation of biomass from Hebei and other places from October 13-16. The correlations between levoglucosan and OC, EC, or SOC were significant (correlation coefficients of 0.78, 0.79, and 0.65, respectively), and the contribution of biomass combustion during sampling to OC was 21.9%.
RESUMEN
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) samples were collected using a high-volume air sampler and pre-combusted quartz filters during May 2013 to January 2014 at a background rural site (47∘35 N, 133∘31 E) in Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. A homologous series of dicarboxylic acids (C2-C11) and related compounds (oxoacids, α-dicarbonyls and fatty acids) were analyzed by using a gas chromatography (GC) and GC-MS method employing a dibutyl ester derivatization technique. Intensively open biomass-burning (BB) episodes during the harvest season in fall were characterized by high mass concentrations of PM2.5, dicarboxylic acids and levoglucosan. During the BB period, mass concentrations of dicarboxylic acids and related compounds were increased by up to >20 times with different factors for different organic compounds (i.e., succinic (C4) acid > oxalic (C2) acid > malonic (C3) acid). High concentrations were also found for their possible precursors such as glyoxylic acid (ωC2), 4-oxobutanoic acid, pyruvic acid, glyoxal, and methylglyoxal as well as fatty acids. Levoglucosan showed strong correlations with carbonaceous aerosols (OC, EC, WSOC) and dicarboxylic acids although such good correlations were not observed during non-biomass-burning seasons. Our results clearly demonstrate biomass burning emissions are very important contributors to dicarboxylic acids and related compounds. The selected ratios (e.g., C3/C4, maleic acid/fumaric acid, C2/ωC2, and C2/levoglucosan) were used as tracers for secondary formation of organic aerosols and their aging process. Our results indicate that organic aerosols from biomass burning in this study are fresh without substantial aging or secondary production. The present chemical characteristics of organic compounds in biomass-burning emissions are very important for better understanding the impacts of biomass burning on the atmosphere aerosols.
