Characterization of fine particulate matter water-soluble inorganic ions and estimation of aerosol acidity at three COALESCE network sites - Mysuru, Bhopal, and Mesra - in India.

The study was carried out to understand the chemical, spatiotemporal characteristics of water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs), their association with PM2.5 mass, and aerosol acidity in three COALESCE (carbonaceous aerosol emissions, source apportionment, and climate impacts) network sites of India (Mesra - Eastern India, Bhopal - Central India and Mysuru - Southern India). Alternate-day 24-h integrated bulk PM2.5 samples were collected during 2019 along with on-site meteorological parameters. Annual average PM2.5 concentrations were 67 ± 46 µg m-3, 54 ± 47 µg m-3, and 30 ± 24 µg m-3 at Mesra, Bhopal, and Mysuru, respectively. PM2.5 concentrations exceeded the annual mean (40 µg m-3) recommended by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) at Mesra and Bhopal. WSIIs existed in PM2.5 mass at Mesra (50.5%), Bhopal (39.6%), and Mysuru (29.2%). SO42-, NO3-, and NH4+ (SNA) were major secondary inorganic ions in total WSIIs, with an annual average of 88.4% in Mesra and 82.0% in Bhopal 78.4% in Mysuru. Low NO3-/SO42- ratios annually at Mesra (0.41), Bhopal (0.44), and Mysuru (0.24) indicated that stationary sources dominated vehicular emissions (1.0). Aerosol acidity varied from region to region and season to season depending on the presence of NH4+, the dominant counter-ion to neutralize anions. Aerosols were near-neutral or alkaline at all three sites, except during the pre-monsoon season in Mysuru. An assessment of neutralization pathways for major anions [SO42- + NO3-] suggests that they mainly existed as sulfate and nitrate salts such as ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4) and ammonium bisulfate (NH4HSO4) in conjunction with ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3).

Reassessing the availability of crop residue as a bioenergy resource in India: A field-survey based study.

Second-generation bioenergy, a carbon neutral or negative renewable resource, is crucial to achieving India's net-zero emission targets. Crop residues are being targeted as a bioenergy resource as they are otherwise burned on-field, leading to significant pollutant emissions. But estimating their bioenergy potential is problematic because of broad assumptions about their surplus fractions. Here, we use comprehensive surveys and multivariate regression models to estimate the bioenergy potential of surplus crop residues in India. These are with high sub-national and crop disaggregation that can facilitate the development of efficient supply chain mechanisms for its widespread usage. The estimated potential for 2019 of 1313 PJ can increase the present bioenergy installed capacity by 82% but is likely insufficient alone to meet India's bioenergy targets. The shortage of crop residue for bioenergy, combined with the sustainability concerns raised by previous studies, imply a need to reassess the strategy for the use of this resource.

Wintertime aerosol properties of urban desert region of western India: Implications in regional climate assessment.

This study assessed the inter-relation between physiochemical and optical characteristics of aerosols measured at a desert-urban region affected by anthropogenic sources and desert dust during October 2020 to January 2021. Based on horizontal visibility and measured PM2.5 concentration, clear (37 %), light (33 %) and high (31 %) pollution periods were identified. Elemental and organic carbon (50 ± 15 µgm-3; 31 %) and secondary inorganics (53 ± 21 µgm-3; 33 %) dominated the PM2.5 mass (160 ± 4 µgm-3) during high pollution period with low dust (14 ± 7 µgm-3; 8 %) content. Interestingly, the clear pollution period was also influenced by carbonaceous fraction (19 ± 8 µgm-3; 32 %) and secondary inorganics (19 ± 5 µgm-3; 32 %), but the PM2.5 concentrations (59 ± 9 µgm-3) were ∼ one-third as compared to high pollution period. High scattering coefficients were observed which were comparable to highly polluted Indian city like Delhi. An exponential increase in non-absorbing material was observed and showed clear influence on light absorption capacity of EC and dust due to coating/mixing. High absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) >0.6 was observed for the ratio of non-absorbing to light absorbing components (LAC) in the range of 1-2.5 and EC/PM2.5 fraction of 7-14 %. While further increase in non-absorbing to absorbing components ratio > 4 and low amount of EC (<4 %) tend to decrease AAE below 0.4. Higher mass absorption cross-section (>30 m2g-1 of EC) was observed when 4-10 % EC fraction of PM2.5 associated with 1.5-3.5 times non-absorbing components to total absorbing components. Likewise, absorption enhanced by three to five folds compared to uncoated EC for low EC fraction (3-6 %) in PM2.5, but high non-absorbing to absorbing component ratio (>2.5). Interestingly, absorption was minimally amplified for nominal coating fraction associated with significant core materials or vice-versa. These findings have implications not only in regional climate assessment but also for other regions with comparable geography and source-mixes.

Physical, chemical and optical properties of PM2.5 and gaseous emissions from cooking with biomass fuel in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

The current study was designed to capture real-world cooking process-wise emissions generated by the combustion of mixed biomass fuel in traditional mud cookstoves in rural kitchens of the north Indian state of Uttar-Pradesh during regular meal preparations. Combustion characteristics, including modified combustion efficiency, thermal efficiency and burn rate, were examined to understand their relationship with emissions. Variations were observed in emission factors (EFs) of PM2.5, trace gases, namely CO, CO2, NOx and SO2, for different cooking processes. While the highest emission of PM2.5, CO and SO2 were observed for boiling (7.0 ± 2.7, 68 ± 29.3, 1.0 ± 1.7 gkg-1, respectively), CO2 and NOx recorded the highest EFs for frying (1537 ± 278.2 & 1.6 ± 0.9 gkg-1 respectively). Although the study reported similar carbon content emissions for different processes, high EC emissions were observed for baking (1.1 ± 0.3 gkg-1). A high concentration of K+ (indicating biomass burning) and toxic trace metals including Al, Cu, Sr, Ti, Mo & Cd has been reported in the present study. EFs of black carbon and brown carbon from mixed fuel burning during uncontrolled cooking have been discussed for different cooking processes which are critical inputs to emission inventories and radiative forcing calculation. The processes of frying and sautéing were found to be more consistent in emissions of pollutants than boiling and baking (variability- 13 %-167 %). Overall, this study emphasizes that a measurement of combustion characteristics and cooking method type should also be contemplated along with fuel and stove types during field emission studies.

Correction to: Chemical characterization of PM1.0 aerosol in Delhi and source apportionment using positive matrix factorization.

The correct 1st Author name is Jai Prakash.

Chemical characterization of PM1.0 aerosol in Delhi and source apportionment using positive matrix factorization.

Fine aerosol fraction (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <= 1.0 µm (PM)1.0) over the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi campus was monitored day and night (10 h each) at 30 m height from November 2009 to March 2010. The samples were analyzed for 5 ions (NH4+, NO3-, SO42-, F-, and Cl-) and 12 trace elements (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Pb, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cd, Cr, and Ni). Importantly, secondary aerosol (sulfate and nitrate) formation was observed during dense foggy events, supporting the fog-smog-fog cycle. A total of 76 samples were used for source apportionment of PM mass. Six factors were resolved by PMF analyses and were identified as secondary aerosol, secondary chloride, biomass burning, soil dust, iron-rich source, and vehicular emission. The geographical location of the sources and/or preferred transport pathways was identified by conditional probability function (for local sources) and potential source contribution function (for regional sources) analyses. Medium- and small-scale metal processing (e.g. steel sheet rolling) industries in Haryana and National Capital Region (NCR) Delhi, coke and petroleum refining in Punjab, and thermal power plants in Pakistan, Punjab, and NCR Delhi were likely contributors to secondary sulfate, nitrate, and secondary chloride at the receptor site. The agricultural residue burning after harvesting season (Sept-Dec and Feb-Apr) in Punjab, and Haryana contributed to potassium at receptor site during November-December and March 2010. The soil dust from North and East Pakistan, and Rajasthan, North-East Punjab, and Haryana along with the local dust contributed to soil dust at the receptor site, during February and March 2010. A combination of temporal behavior and air parcel trajectory ensemble analyses indicated that the iron-rich source was most likely a local source attributed to emissions from metal processing facilities. Further, as expected, the vehicular emissions source did not show any seasonality and was local in origin.

Source apportionment of the ionic components in precipitation over an urban region in Western India.

INTRODUCTION: Inorganic ion concentrations in event-based wet-only precipitation samples collected during the south-west (SW) monsoon at an urban location in Western India, Ahmedabad between July 2000 and September 2002 were measured by Rastogi and Sarin (2007). METHODS: For the first time at a location in India, an advanced factor analysis model was retrospectively applied to the measured concentrations of ions (Rastogi and Sarin 2007) in precipitation for source apportionment. Positive matrix factorization resolved five factors, including crustal material, sea salt, nitrate/sulfate-rich factor, ammonium-rich factor, and free acidity. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Amongst the model-resolved factors, crustal material was the highest contributor to the total dissolved solids (TDS) accounting for 44.1% on average. Potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis identified source locations along the eastern coast of Somalia, Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates for this factor. Sea salt was the second highest contributor accounting for 29.8%. The potential source regions of this factor were also identified in the Arabian Sea and the southern Indian Ocean along the coast of Africa, and the Arabian Gulf. This study also examined the spatial relationships between the source locations of chemical species in precipitation and in ambient aerosol (resolved in an earlier study). CONCLUSIONS: Crustal material was the highest contributor to TDS at the study location. Spatial relationships between aerosol and precipitation factor source regions suggested that below-cloud scavenging of aerosol particles was a likely contributor to the chemical species apportioned to various precipitation factors. Additionally, source types of chemical species in precipitation resolved in this study were qualitatively compared with those identified at other locations in India. The comparison showed that soil was an important contributor to the dissolved mass of chemical species in precipitation at all locations in India.