1. Molecular Characterization of Gaseous Organic Acids and Nitrogen‐Containing Compounds From Crop Straw and Wood Burning.
- Author
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Zhou, Wei, Xu, Weiqi, Li, Zhijie, Lei, Lu, Li, Yan, Sun, Jiaxing, Du, Aodong, Zhang, Zhiqiang, Li, Ying, Fu, Pingqing, Ge, Xinlei, and Sun, Yele
- Subjects
WOOD ,CHEMICAL formulas ,BIOMASS burning ,VOLATILE organic compounds ,SEMIVOLATILE organic compounds ,DICARBOXYLIC acids ,ORGANIC acids - Abstract
Biomass burning serves as important sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), yet our understanding of the molecular characteristics of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) from fresh emissions remains limited. In this study, gaseous organic compounds in fresh smokes from burning typical Chinese crop straws and woods are measured using an iodide time‐of‐flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer. Approximately 750 molecular formulas are identified, with CHO compounds containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms accounting for 77%–95% of the total. C1–C3 organic acids and dicarboxylic acids dominate the total CHO signal intensities by 27%–48%, while well‐known molecular markers of biomass burning, such as monosaccharide, guaiacol and syringol derivatives, contribute 7%–17%. Notably, crop straw and wood burning emit a higher abundance of guaiacol than syringol derivatives by a factor of 5. Additionally, a variety of nitrogen‐containing compounds (mainly in the CHON group) is identified, including isocyanate, amide, amino acids, and pyridine. The mass spectral profiles of organic compounds are largely similar between crop straw and wood burning fuels, although wood burning produces higher contributions of compounds with carbon atoms numbers >10. The saturation concentrations of organic compounds are estimated using molecular formula‐based volatility parameterization, revealing that semi‐volatile and intermediate VOCs (S/intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs)) predominate smoke releases by 35%–60% and 20%–43%, respectively, with only a small fraction of low‐volatility compounds. Given the widespread nature of biomass burning in winter China, our results may have significant implications for interpreting secondary organic aerosol formation through gas‐particle partitioning or aqueous‐phase reactions. Plain Language Summary: Biomass burning is a significant source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) being particularly important due to their high reactivity and their contribution to the radical budget and secondary products formation. However, previous research has primarily focused on a limited number of OVOCs species from pine, spruce, and other biofuels, leading to insufficient studies on the full mass spectra of OVOCs from biomass smokes. Our study has addressed this gap by identifying approximately 750 OVOCs from burning typical Chinese crop straws and woods. We found that C1–C3 organic acids and dicarboxylic acids are the predominant contributors to total signal intensities. This expands on previous studies that have focused on a limited well‐known molecular markers of biomass burning, such as monosaccharide, guaiacol and syringol derivatives, and reveals the presence of nitrogen‐containing compounds, including isocyanate, amide, amino acids, and pyridine. The saturation concentrations of organic compounds are estimated, highlighting the importance of semi‐volatile and intermediate VOCs (S/IVOCs) in fresh smoke releases. Our study contributes to a better understanding of complex chemistry of biomass burning and its impact on air quality. It will serve as a crucial basis for accurately assessing biomass burning related‐secondary organic aerosol formation. Key Points: C1–C3 organic acids and dicarboxylic acids dominate the total signal intensities of fresh crop straw and wood burning emissionsThe mass spectral profiles are largely similar across different fuels, with wood burning produces higher contributions of large compoundsSemi‐volatile and intermediate volatile organic compounds predominate fresh smoke emissions, with only a small fraction of low‐volatility compounds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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