Influence of Biomass Burning on Temporal and Diurnal Variations of Acidic Gases, Particulate Nitrate, and Sulfate in a Tropical Urban Atmosphere
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the temporal and diurnal distributions of atmospheric acidic gases (sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrous acid (HONO), and nitric acid (NO3)) and those of particulate nitrate and sulfate (SNO) during the largest smoke haze episode in Singapore, a representative country in Southeast Asia (SEA).
Abstract: The present study investigated the temporal and diurnal distributions of atmospheric acidic gases (sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrous acid (HONO), and nitric acid (HNO3)) and those of particulate nitrate () and sulfate () through a comprehensive field campaign during the largest smoke haze episode in Singapore, a representative country in Southeast Asia (SEA). To identify the atmospheric behavior of these pollutants during the smoke haze period, the data generated from the measurement campaign were divided into three distinct periods: prehaze, during haze, and posthaze periods. The 24 hr average data indicated that ambient SO2, HONO, and HNO3 during the smoke haze episodes increased by a factor ranging from 1.2 to 2.6 compared to those during the prehaze and posthaze periods. Similarly, in the case of particulates and , the factor ranged from 2.3 to 4.2. Backward air trajectories were constructed and used to find the sources of biomass burning to the recurring smoke haze in this region. The air trajectory analysis showed that the smoke haze episodes experienced in Singapore were influenced by transboundary air pollution, caused by severe biomass burning events in the islands of Indonesia.
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TL;DR: The physical, chemical, toxicological and radiative properties of BB-derived PM are discussed, and policies needed to prevent future BB events in the SEA region are highlighted.
54 citations
TL;DR: The study finds that ultrafine and nano particles present in the atmosphere have higher tendencies to be deposited into the deeper parts of the respiratory system, compared to coarse and fine particles.
Abstract: Toxic elements present in airborne particulate matter (PM) are associated with human health effects; however, their toxic characteristics depend on the source of their origins and their concentrations in ambient air. Twenty four elements (Al, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, Te, Tl, and Zn) in 12 different size fractions of PM ranging from 10 nm to 10 μm were characterized in Singapore during two different atmospheric conditions (smoke haze and non-haze periods) in 2012 for the first time. In addition, their possible sources were identified based on backward air trajectory analysis and principal component analysis (PCA). The health implications of inhalable particles were assessed using a human airway deposition model, the Multiple-Path Particle Dosimetry model (MPPD). The results concerning particle-bound trace elements are interpreted in terms of coarse (PM2.5−10), fine (PM2.5), ultrafine (PM0.01−0.1, 0.01 μm < Dp < 0.10 μm), and nano (PM0.01−0.056, 0.01 μm < Dp < 0.056 μm) particles. The ratios of elemental concentrations measured between the smoke haze episode and the non-haze period in coarse, fine, ultrafine, and nano particles varied from 1.2 (Bi) to 6.6 (Co). Both the PCA and backward trajectory analysis revealed that trans-boundary biomass-burning emissions from Indonesia were primarily responsible for enhanced concentrations of particulate-bound elements during the smoke haze episode. The particle depositions in the respiratory system were higher during the smoke haze episode compared to the non-haze period. The study finds that ultrafine and nano particles present in the atmosphere have higher tendencies to be deposited into the deeper parts of the respiratory system, compared to coarse and fine particles.
53 citations
Cites background from "Influence of Biomass Burning on Tem..."
...…it has been observed that smoke haze episodes occur largely from May to October, when uncontrolled forest and peat fires take place in Indonesia, and the southwest monsoon prevails in the region (Balasubramanian et al. 2003; See et al. 2007; Betha et al. 2014; Behera and Balasubramanian 2014)....
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...From past records, it has been observed that smoke haze episodes occur largely from May to October, when uncontrolled forest and peat fires take place in Indonesia, and the southwest monsoon prevails in the region (Balasubramanian et al. 2003; See et al. 2007; Betha et al. 2014; Behera and Balasubramanian 2014)....
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TL;DR: Airborne particulate matter samples collected in the southwest coast of Singapore from 16 August to 9 November in 2009 were assessed to assess the impact of smoke-haze episodes on the air quality due to the long-range transport of biomass and peat burning emissions.
Abstract: Recurrent smoke-haze episodes that occur in Southeast Asia (SEA) are of much concern because of their environmental and health impacts. These haze episodes are mainly caused by uncontrolled biomass and peat burning in Indonesia. Airborne particulate matter (PM) samples were collected in the southwest coast of Singapore from 16 August to 9 November in 2009 to assess the impact of smoke-haze episodes on the air quality due to the long-range transport of biomass and peat burning emissions. The physical and chemical characteristics of PM were investigated during pre-haze, smoke-haze, and post-haze periods. Days with PM2.5 mass concentrations of ≥35 μg m−3 were considered as smoke-haze events. Using this criterion, out of the total 82 sampling days, nine smoke-haze events were identified. The origin of air masses during smoke-haze episodes was studied on the basis of HYSPLIT backward air trajectory analysis for 4 days. In terms of the physical properties of PM, higher particle surface area concentrations and particle gravimetric mass concentrations were observed during the smoke-haze period, but there was no consistent pattern for particle number concentrations during the haze period as compared to the non-haze period except that there was a significant increase at about 08:00, which could be attributed to the entrainment of PM from aloft after the breakdown of the nocturnal inversion layer. As for the chemical characteristics of PM, among the six key inorganic water-soluble ions (Cl−, NO3
−, nss-SO4
2−, Na+, NH4
+, and nss-K+) measured in this study, NO3
−, nss-SO4
2−, and NH4
+ showed a significant increase in their concentrations during the smoke-haze period together with nss-K+. These observations suggest that the increased atmospheric loading of PM with higher surface area and increased concentrations of optically active secondary inorganic aerosols [(NH4)2SO4 or NH4HSO4 and NH4NO3] resulted in the atmospheric visibility reduction in SEA due to the advection of biomass and peat burning emissions.
41 citations
Cites background from "Influence of Biomass Burning on Tem..."
...SO2 and NOx are then oxidized in the atmosphere and form (NH4)2SO4 or NH4HSO4 and NH4NO3 in the presence of NH3 under thermodynamically favorable conditions (Behera and Balasubramanian 2014)....
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TL;DR: The sources of dust fall in Lake Chini were dominated by agricultural and biomass burning, followed by the earth's crust (28%), sea spray (16%) and a mixture of soil dust and vehicle emissions (14%).
Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the source apportionment of dust fall around Lake Chini, Malaysia. Samples were collected monthly between December 2012 and March 2013 at seven sampling stations located around Lake Chini. The samples were filtered to separate the dissolved and undissolved solids. The ionic compositions (NO3-, SO4(2-), Cl- and NH4+) were determined using ion chromatography (IC) while major elements (K, Na, Ca and Mg) and trace metals (Zn, Fe, Al, Ni, Mn, Cr, Pb and Cd) were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results showed that the average concentration of total solids around Lake Chini was 93.49±16.16 mg/(m2·day). SO4(2-), Na and Zn dominated the dissolved portion of the dust fall. The enrichment factors (EF) revealed that the source of the trace metals and major elements in the rain water was anthropogenic, except for Fe. Hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis (HACA) classified the seven monitoring stations and 16 variables into five groups and three groups respectively. A coupled receptor model, principal component analysis multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR), revealed that the sources of dust fall in Lake Chini were dominated by agricultural and biomass burning (42%), followed by the earth's crust (28%), sea spray (16%) and a mixture of soil dust and vehicle emissions (14%).
20 citations
References
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TL;DR: The incidence of dental caries will increase in the near future in many developing countries of Africa, as a result of growing consumption of sugars and inadequate exposure to fluorides, and the risk of periodontal disease and tooth loss may increase.
Abstract: Dental caries and periodontal diseases have historically been considered the most important part of the global burden of oral diseases. At present, the distribution and severity of oral diseases vary in different parts of the world and within the same country or region. Dental caries is still a major public health problem in most industrialized countries, affecting 60-90% of schoolchildren and the vast majority of adults. It is also a prevalent oral disease in several Asian and Latin American countries, while it appears to be less common and less severe in most African countries. It is expected, however, that the incidence of dental caries will increase in the near future in many developing countries of Africa, as a result of growing consumption of sugars and inadequate exposure to fluorides. The significant role of socio-behavioural and environmental factors in oral disease and health is demonstrated in a large number of epidemiological surveys. The current pattern of dental caries reflects primarily distinct risk profiles across countries (related to living conditions, lifestyles and environmental factors) and the implementation of preventive oral health systems. In some industrialized countries there has been a positive trend in the reduction of tooth loss among adults in recent years, though the proportion of edentulous persons in the elderly population is still high in some countries. In most developing countries, access to oral health services is limited and teeth are often left untreated or are extracted because of pain or discomfort. Tooth loss and impaired oral function are therefore expected to increase as a public health problem in many developing countries. Tooth loss in adult life may also be attributable to poor periodontal health. Severe periodontitis, which may result in tooth loss, is found in 5-15% of most populations. In industrialized countries, studies show that tobacco use is a major risk factor for adult periodontal disease. With the growing consumption of tobacco in many developing countries, the risk of periodontal disease and tooth loss may therefore increase. Oral cancer is closely related to the use of tobacco and excessive consumption of alcohol. The prevalence of oral cancer is particularly high among men, and is the eighth most common cancer worldwide. In south and central Asia, consumption of tobacco in various forms is particularly high, and cancer of the oral cavity ranks among the three most common types of cancer. Periodontal disease and tooth loss are also related to chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus: the growing incidence of diabetes may further impact negatively on oral health of people in several developing countries. …
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"Influence of Biomass Burning on Tem..." refers methods in this paper
...To identify the origin of sources responsible for additional pollution during the haze period, we constructed air mass trajectories reaching Singapore for different days using the HYSPLIT 4model of the Air Resources Laboratory of NOAA [54]....
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TL;DR: The cycle of nitrogen oxides in the troposphere from both global and regional perspectives is discussed in this article, where estimates for the rate of removal of NOx based on recent atmospheric and precipitation chemistry data are consistent with global source strengths derived here.
Abstract: The cycle of nitrogen oxides in the troposphere is discussed from both global and regional perspectives. Global sources for NO(x) are estimated to be of magnitude 50 (+ or - 25) x 10 to the 12th gm N/yr. Nitrogen oxides are derived from combustion of fossil fuels (40 percent) and biomass burning (25 percent) with the balance from lightning and microbial activity in soils. Estimates for the rate of removal of NOx based on recent atmospheric and precipitation chemistry data are consistent with global source strengths derived here. Industrial and agricultural activities provide approximately two thirds of the global source for NOx. In North America, sources from combustion of fossil fuels exceed natural sources by a factor of 3-13. Wet deposition removes about one third of the combustion source of NOx over North America, while dry deposition removes a similar amount. The balance is exported from the continent. Deposition of nitrate in precipitation over eastern Canada and the western Atlantic is clearly influenced by sources of NOx in the eastern United States.
768 citations
"Influence of Biomass Burning on Tem..." refers background in this paper
...Although it is difficult to get the sufficient precise quantification of the production of NO x from the lightning, earlier studies showed that it is potentially the largest natural source and its magnitude may be equivalent to that of man-made emissions [41]....
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