Near-Field Variability of Residential Woodsmoke Concentrations
Author(s)
Tracy L. Thatcher1*,
Thomas W. Kirchstetter2,
Stella H. Tan1,
Christopher J. Malejan1,
Courtney E. Ward1
Affiliation(s)
1 Environmental Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, USA. 2 Environmental Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, USA.
1 Environmental Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, USA. 2 Environmental Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, USA.
ABSTRACT
In many regions, wood combustion is a significant source of wintertime aerosols. However, since wood combustion sources are interspersed within neighborhoods, near-field concentration variability has the potential to cause large variations in the exposure levels between residents over a relatively small area. This field study compared filter samples and aethalometer measurements of black carbon concentration within a 1 km2 study region with no significant aerosol sources except wood combustion. Sampling occurred on 15 nights over two winter seasons in a small California coastal town. Even over the small distances in the study area, large spatial and temporal variations were observed. Measured black carbon concentrations varied by as much as a factor of 10 over a 12-hour night-time period. The spatial variability was non-random, with the highest location in the study area experiencing 4 times the average concentration within the neighborhood, when averaged over all sample periods. The results of this study indicate that within neighborhoods with residential wood combustion sources using an average concentration for a region to predict exposure may significantly undervalue the exposure of some residents and overvalue the exposure for others.
In many regions, wood combustion is a significant source of wintertime aerosols. However, since wood combustion sources are interspersed within neighborhoods, near-field concentration variability has the potential to cause large variations in the exposure levels between residents over a relatively small area. This field study compared filter samples and aethalometer measurements of black carbon concentration within a 1 km2 study region with no significant aerosol sources except wood combustion. Sampling occurred on 15 nights over two winter seasons in a small California coastal town. Even over the small distances in the study area, large spatial and temporal variations were observed. Measured black carbon concentrations varied by as much as a factor of 10 over a 12-hour night-time period. The spatial variability was non-random, with the highest location in the study area experiencing 4 times the average concentration within the neighborhood, when averaged over all sample periods. The results of this study indicate that within neighborhoods with residential wood combustion sources using an average concentration for a region to predict exposure may significantly undervalue the exposure of some residents and overvalue the exposure for others.
Cite this paper
Thatcher, T. , Kirchstetter, T. , Tan, S. , Malejan, C. and Ward, C. (2014) Near-Field Variability of Residential Woodsmoke Concentrations. Atmospheric and Climate Sciences, 4, 622-635. doi: 10.4236/acs.2014.44055.
Thatcher, T. , Kirchstetter, T. , Tan, S. , Malejan, C. and Ward, C. (2014) Near-Field Variability of Residential Woodsmoke Concentrations. Atmospheric and Climate Sciences, 4, 622-635. doi: 10.4236/acs.2014.44055.
References
[1] Gorin, C.A., Collett Jr., J.L. and Herckes, P. (2006) Wood Smoke Contribution to Winter Aerosol in Fresno, CA. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995), 56, 1584-1590. [2] Goswami, E., Larson, T., Lumley, T. and Liu, L.J.S. (2002) Spatial Characteristics of Fine Particulate Matter: Identifying Representative Monitoring Locations in Seattle, Washington. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995), 52, 324-333. [3] Weijers, E.P., Khlystov, A.Y., Kos, G.P.A. and Erisman, J.W. (2004) Variability of Particulate Matter Concentrations along Roads and Motorways Determined by a Moving Measurement Unit. Atmospheric Environment, 38, 2993-3002.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2004.02.045 [4] Gulliver, J. and Briggs, D.J. (2004) Personal Exposure to Particulate Air Pollution in Transport Microenvironments. Atmospheric Environment, 38, 1-8.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2003.09.036 [5] Glasius, M., Ketzela, M., Wahlina, P., Jensena, B., M?nstera, J., Berkowicza, R. and Palmgrena, F. (2006) Impact of Wood Combustion on Particle Levels in a Residential Area in Denmark. Atmospheric Environment, 40, 7115-7124. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.06.047 [6] Robinson, D., Monro, J. and Campbell, E. (2007) Spatial Variability and Population Exposure to PM2.5 Pollution from Woodsmoke in a New South Wales Country Town. Atmospheric Environment, 41, 5464-5478. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.01.059 [7] Smargiassi, A., Brand, A., Fournier, M., Yessier, F., Goudreau, S., Rousseau, J. and Benjamin, M. (2012) A Spatiotemporal Land-Use Regression Model of Winter Fine Particulate Levels in Residential Neighborhoods. Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, 22, 331-338. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.26 [8] Branis, M., Koznarová, J. and Domasová, M. (2000) Coal and Wood Burning as Main Cause of Particulate Pollution in a Rural Area: Case Study from the Czech Republic. Journal of Aerosol Science, 31, 889-890. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0021-8502(00)90899-1 [9] Allen, G.A., Miller, P.J., Rector, L.J., Brauer, M. and Su, J.G. (2011) Characterization of Valley Winter Woodsmoke Concentrations in Northern NY Using Highly Time-Resolved Measurements. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 11, 519-530. [10] Larson, T., Su, J., Baribeau, A., Setton, E. and Brauer, M. (2007) A Spatial Model of Urban Winter Woodsmoke Concentrations. Environmental Science and Technology, 41, 2429-2436.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es0614060 [11] Cambria Chamber of Commerce (2010) Facts about Cambria.
http://www.cambriachamber.org/info.php [12] Kirchstetter, T.W., Novakov, T. and Hobbs, P.V. (2004) Evidence That the Spectral Dependence of Light Absorption by Aerosols Is Affected by Organic Carbon. Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 109, D21208. [13] Sandradewi, J., Prév?t, A.S.H., Weingartner, E., Schmidhauser, R., Gysel, M. and Baltensperger, U. (2008) A Study of Wood Burning and Traffic Aerosols in an Alpine Valley Using a Multi-Wavelength Aethalometer. Atmospheric Environment, 42, 101-112.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.09.034? [14] Sandradewi, J., Prév?t, A.S., Szidat, S., et al. (2008) Using Aerosol Light Absorption Measurements for the Quantitative Determination of Wood Burning and Traffic Emission Contributions to Particulate Matter. Environmental Science & Technology, 42, 3316-3323. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es702253m [15] Patterson, E.M. and McMahon, C.K. (1984) Absorption Characteristics of Forest Fire Particulate Matter. Atmospheric Environment, 18, 2541-2551. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0004-6981(84)90027-1 [16] Kirchstetter, T.W. and Thatcher, T.L. (2012) Contribution of Organic Carbon to Wood Smoke Particulate Matter Absorption of Solar Radiation. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 12, 6067-6072. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-6067-2012 [17] Hansen, A.D.A. (2005) The Aethalometer, Manual. Magee Scientific Company, Berkeley.
[1] Gorin, C.A., Collett Jr., J.L. and Herckes, P. (2006) Wood Smoke Contribution to Winter Aerosol in Fresno, CA. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995), 56, 1584-1590. [2] Goswami, E., Larson, T., Lumley, T. and Liu, L.J.S. (2002) Spatial Characteristics of Fine Particulate Matter: Identifying Representative Monitoring Locations in Seattle, Washington. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995), 52, 324-333. [3] Weijers, E.P., Khlystov, A.Y., Kos, G.P.A. and Erisman, J.W. (2004) Variability of Particulate Matter Concentrations along Roads and Motorways Determined by a Moving Measurement Unit. Atmospheric Environment, 38, 2993-3002.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2004.02.045 [4] Gulliver, J. and Briggs, D.J. (2004) Personal Exposure to Particulate Air Pollution in Transport Microenvironments. Atmospheric Environment, 38, 1-8.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2003.09.036 [5] Glasius, M., Ketzela, M., Wahlina, P., Jensena, B., M?nstera, J., Berkowicza, R. and Palmgrena, F. (2006) Impact of Wood Combustion on Particle Levels in a Residential Area in Denmark. Atmospheric Environment, 40, 7115-7124. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.06.047 [6] Robinson, D., Monro, J. and Campbell, E. (2007) Spatial Variability and Population Exposure to PM2.5 Pollution from Woodsmoke in a New South Wales Country Town. Atmospheric Environment, 41, 5464-5478. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.01.059 [7] Smargiassi, A., Brand, A., Fournier, M., Yessier, F., Goudreau, S., Rousseau, J. and Benjamin, M. (2012) A Spatiotemporal Land-Use Regression Model of Winter Fine Particulate Levels in Residential Neighborhoods. Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, 22, 331-338. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.26 [8] Branis, M., Koznarová, J. and Domasová, M. (2000) Coal and Wood Burning as Main Cause of Particulate Pollution in a Rural Area: Case Study from the Czech Republic. Journal of Aerosol Science, 31, 889-890. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0021-8502(00)90899-1 [9] Allen, G.A., Miller, P.J., Rector, L.J., Brauer, M. and Su, J.G. (2011) Characterization of Valley Winter Woodsmoke Concentrations in Northern NY Using Highly Time-Resolved Measurements. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 11, 519-530. [10] Larson, T., Su, J., Baribeau, A., Setton, E. and Brauer, M. (2007) A Spatial Model of Urban Winter Woodsmoke Concentrations. Environmental Science and Technology, 41, 2429-2436.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es0614060 [11] Cambria Chamber of Commerce (2010) Facts about Cambria.
http://www.cambriachamber.org/info.php [12] Kirchstetter, T.W., Novakov, T. and Hobbs, P.V. (2004) Evidence That the Spectral Dependence of Light Absorption by Aerosols Is Affected by Organic Carbon. Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 109, D21208. [13] Sandradewi, J., Prév?t, A.S.H., Weingartner, E., Schmidhauser, R., Gysel, M. and Baltensperger, U. (2008) A Study of Wood Burning and Traffic Aerosols in an Alpine Valley Using a Multi-Wavelength Aethalometer. Atmospheric Environment, 42, 101-112.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.09.034? [14] Sandradewi, J., Prév?t, A.S., Szidat, S., et al. (2008) Using Aerosol Light Absorption Measurements for the Quantitative Determination of Wood Burning and Traffic Emission Contributions to Particulate Matter. Environmental Science & Technology, 42, 3316-3323. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es702253m [15] Patterson, E.M. and McMahon, C.K. (1984) Absorption Characteristics of Forest Fire Particulate Matter. Atmospheric Environment, 18, 2541-2551. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0004-6981(84)90027-1 [16] Kirchstetter, T.W. and Thatcher, T.L. (2012) Contribution of Organic Carbon to Wood Smoke Particulate Matter Absorption of Solar Radiation. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 12, 6067-6072. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-6067-2012 [17] Hansen, A.D.A. (2005) The Aethalometer, Manual. Magee Scientific Company, Berkeley.