TY - JOUR
T1 - Atmospheric black carbon deposition and characterization of biomass burning tracers in a northern temperate forest
AU - Santos, F.
AU - Fraser, Matthew
AU - Bird, J. A.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank D. Bryck for assistance with OC/EC analysis, and A. Clements for assistance with extractions and GC–MS analysis. We acknowledge the UMBS for logistics and research facilities support. F.S. was funded by a NSF-IGERT Biosphere-Atmosphere Research Training program, UMBS .
Copyright:
Copyright 2014 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2014/10
Y1 - 2014/10
N2 - Aerosol black carbon (BC) is considered the second largest contributor to global warming after CO2, and is known to increase the atmosphere's temperature, decrease the albedo in snow/ice, and influence the properties and distribution of clouds. BC is thought to have a long mean residence time in soils, and its apparent stability may represent a significant stable sink for atmospheric CO2. Despite recent efforts to quantify BC in the environment, the quantification of BC deposition rates from the atmosphere to terrestrial ecosystems remains scarse. To better understand the contribution of atmospheric BC inputs to soils via dry deposition and its dominant emission sources, atmospheric fine particle (PM2.5) were collected at the University of Michigan Biological Station from July to September in 2010 and 2011. PM2.5 samples were analyzed for organic C, BC, and molecular markers including particulate sugars, carboxylic acids, n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and cholestane. Average atmospheric BC concentrations in northern Michigan were 0.048±0.06μgm-3 in summer 2010, and 0.049±0.064μgm-3 in summer 2011. Based on atmospheric concentrations, particulate deposition calculations, and documented soil BC, we conclude that atmospheric deposition is unlikely to comprise a significant input pathway for BC in northern forest ecosystem. The major organic tracers identified in fine particulates (e.g. levoglucosan and docosanoic acid) suggest that ambient PM2.5 concentrations were mainly influenced by biomass burning and epicuticular plant waxes. These results provide baseline data needed for future assessments of atmospheric BC in rural temperate forests.
AB - Aerosol black carbon (BC) is considered the second largest contributor to global warming after CO2, and is known to increase the atmosphere's temperature, decrease the albedo in snow/ice, and influence the properties and distribution of clouds. BC is thought to have a long mean residence time in soils, and its apparent stability may represent a significant stable sink for atmospheric CO2. Despite recent efforts to quantify BC in the environment, the quantification of BC deposition rates from the atmosphere to terrestrial ecosystems remains scarse. To better understand the contribution of atmospheric BC inputs to soils via dry deposition and its dominant emission sources, atmospheric fine particle (PM2.5) were collected at the University of Michigan Biological Station from July to September in 2010 and 2011. PM2.5 samples were analyzed for organic C, BC, and molecular markers including particulate sugars, carboxylic acids, n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and cholestane. Average atmospheric BC concentrations in northern Michigan were 0.048±0.06μgm-3 in summer 2010, and 0.049±0.064μgm-3 in summer 2011. Based on atmospheric concentrations, particulate deposition calculations, and documented soil BC, we conclude that atmospheric deposition is unlikely to comprise a significant input pathway for BC in northern forest ecosystem. The major organic tracers identified in fine particulates (e.g. levoglucosan and docosanoic acid) suggest that ambient PM2.5 concentrations were mainly influenced by biomass burning and epicuticular plant waxes. These results provide baseline data needed for future assessments of atmospheric BC in rural temperate forests.
KW - Atmospheric black carbon deposition
KW - Biogenic emission
KW - Docosanoic acid
KW - Elemental carbon
KW - Levoglucosan
KW - Molecular markers
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U2 - 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.06.038
DO - 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.06.038
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84903604588
SN - 1352-2310
VL - 95
SP - 383
EP - 390
JO - Atmospheric Environment
JF - Atmospheric Environment
ER -