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- Espen Yttri, Karl, et al.
(author)
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Trends, composition, and sources of carbonaceous aerosol at the Birkenes Observatory, northern Europe, 2001-2018
- 2021
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In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 21:9, s. 7149-7170
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present 18 years (2001-2018) of aerosol measurements, including organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), organic tracers (levoglucosan, arabitol, mannitol, trehalose, glucose, and 2-methyltetrols), trace elements, and ions, at the Birkenes Observatory (southern Norway) - a site representative of the northern European region. The OC=EC (2001-2018) and the levoglucosan (2008-2018) time series are the longest in Europe, with OC=EC available for the PM10, PM2:5 (fine), and PM10-2:5 (coarse) size fractions, providing the opportunity for a nearly 2-decade-long assessment. Using positive matrix factorization (PMF), we identify seven carbonaceous aerosol sources at Birkenes: mineraldust- dominated aerosol (MIN), traffic/industry-like aerosol (TRA/IND), short-range-transported biogenic secondary organic aerosol (BSOASRT), primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP), biomass burning aerosol (BB), ammoniumnitrate- dominated aerosol (NH4NO3), and (one low carbon fraction) sea salt aerosol (SS). We observed significant (p < 0:05), large decreases in EC in PM10 (-3:9%yr-1) and PM2:5 (-4:2%yr-1) and a smaller decline in levoglucosan (-2:8%yr-1), suggesting that OC=EC from traffic and industry is decreasing, whereas the abatement of OC=EC from biomass burning has been slightly less successful. EC abatement with respect to anthropogenic sources is further supported by decreasing EC fractions in PM2:5 (-3:9%yr-1) and PM10 (-4:5%yr-1). PMF apportioned 72% of EC to fossil fuel sources; this was further supported by PMF applied to absorption photometer data, which yielded a two-factor solution with a low aerosol ngstr m exponent (AAED0.93) fraction, assumed to be equivalent black carbon from fossil fuel combustion (eBCFF), contributing 78% to eBC mass. The higher AAE fraction (AAED2.04) is likely eBC from BB (eBCBB). Source-receptor model calculations (FLEXPART) showed that continental Europe and western Russia were the main source regions of both elevated eBCBB and eBCFF. Dominating biogenic sources explain why there was no downward trend for OC. A relative increase in the OC fraction in PM2:5 (C3:2%yr-1) and PM10 (C2:4%yr-1) underscores the importance of biogenic sources at Birkenes (BSOA and PBAP), which were higher in the vegetative season and dominated both fine (53 %) and coarse (78 %) OC. Furthermore, 77 %-91% of OC in PM2:5, PM10-2:5, and PM10 was attributed to biogenic sources in summer vs. 22 %- 37% in winter. The coarse fraction had the highest share of biogenic sources regardless of season and was dominated by PBAP, except in winter. Our results show a shift in the aerosol composition at Birkenes and, thus, also in the relative source contributions. The need for diverse offline and online carbonaceous aerosol speciation to understand carbonaceous aerosol sources, including their seasonal, annual, and long-term variability, has been demonstrated.
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| 2. |
- Omelekhina, Yuliya, et al.
(author)
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Cooking and electronic cigarettes leading to large differences between indoor and outdoor particle composition and concentration measured by aerosol mass spectrometry
- 2020
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In: Environmental Sciences: Processes and Impacts. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2050-7895 .- 2050-7887. ; 22:6, s. 1382-1396
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We spend about two thirds of our time in private homes where airborne particles of indoor and outdoor origins are present. The negative health effects of exposure to outdoor particles are known. The characteristics of indoor airborne particles, though, are not well understood. This study assesses the differences in chemical composition of PM1 (<1 μm) inside and outside of an occupied Swedish residence in real time with a High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) and an Aethalometer. The chemical composition and concentration of particles indoors showed large differences compared to outdoors. The average indoor concentration was 15 μg m-3 and was higher than the outdoor 7 μg m-3. Organics dominated indoor particle composition (86% of the total mass) and originated from indoor sources (cooking, e-cigarette vaping). The average indoor to outdoor ratios were 5.5 for organic matter, 1.0 for black carbon, 0.6 for sulphate, 0.1 for nitrate, 0.2 for ammonium and 0.2 for chloride. The occupancy time accounted for 97% of the total measured period. Four factors were identified in the source apportionment of organic particle fraction by applying positive matrix factorization (PMF): two cooking factors, one e-cigarette factor and one outdoor contribution (OOA) organic factor penetrated from outside.
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