Chemically speciated air pollutant emissions from open burning of household solid waste from South Africa
-
Published:2023-12-15
Issue:24
Volume:23
Page:15375-15393
-
ISSN:1680-7324
-
Container-title:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:Atmos. Chem. Phys.
Author:
Wang XiaoliangORCID, Firouzkouhi Hatef, Chow Judith C., Watson John G.ORCID, Ho Steven Sai HangORCID, Carter Warren, De Vos Alexandra S. M.
Abstract
Abstract. Open burning of household solid waste is a large source of air pollutants worldwide, especially in the Global South. However, waste burning emissions are either missing or have large uncertainties in local, regional, or global emission inventories due to limited emission factor (EF) and activity data. Detailed particulate matter (PM) chemical speciation data are even less available. This paper reports source profiles and EFs for PM2.5 species as well as acidic and alkali gases measured from laboratory combustion of 10 waste categories that represent open burning in South Africa. Carbonaceous materials contributed more than 70 % of PM2.5 mass. Elemental carbon (EC) was most abundant from flaming materials (e.g., plastic bags, textiles, and combined materials), and its climate forcing exceeded the corresponding CO2 emissions by a factor of 2–5. Chlorine had the highest EFs among elements measured by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for all materials. Vegetation emissions showed high abundances of potassium, consistent with its use as a marker for biomass burning. Fresh PM2.5 emitted from waste burning appeared to be acidic. Moist vegetation and food discards had the highest hydrogen fluoride (HF) and PM fluoride EFs due to fluorine accumulation in plants, while burning rubber had the highest hydrogen chloride (HCl) and PM chloride EFs due to high chlorine content in the rubber. Plastic bottles, plastic bags, rubber, and food discards had the highest EFs for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs as well as their associated toxicities. Distinct differences between odd and even carbon preferences were found for alkanes from biological and petroleum-based materials: dry vegetation, paper, textiles, and food discards show preference for the odd-numbered alkanes, while the opposite is true for plastic bottles, plastic bags, and rubber. As phthalates are used as plasticizers, their highest EFs were found for plastic bottles and bags, rubber, and combined materials. Data from this study will be useful for health and climate impact assessments, speciated emission inventories, source-oriented dispersion models, and receptor-based source apportionment.
Funder
Sasol Desert Research Institute
Publisher
Copernicus GmbH
Subject
Atmospheric Science
Reference85 articles.
1. Akagi, S. K., Yokelson, R. J., Wiedinmyer, C., Alvarado, M. J., Reid, J. S., Karl, T., Crounse, J. D., and Wennberg, P. O.: Emission factors for open and domestic biomass burning for use in atmospheric models, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 4039–4072, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-4039-2011, 2011. 2. Andersson, J. T. and Achten, C.: Time to Say Goodbye to the 16 EPA PAHs? Toward an Up-to-Date Use of PACs for Environmental Purposes, Polycyclic Aromat. Comp., 35, 330–354, https://doi.org/10.1080/10406638.2014.991042, 2015. 3. Andreae, M. O.: Emission of trace gases and aerosols from biomass burning – an updated assessment, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 8523–8546, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-8523-2019, 2019. 4. ATSDR: Guidance for Calculating Benzo(a)pyrene Equivalents for Cancer Evaluations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Atlanta, GA, https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pha-guidance/resources/ATSDR-PAH-Guidance-508.pdf (last access: 30 May 2023), 2022. 5. Bond, T. C., Doherty, S. J., Fahey, D. W., Forster, P. M., Berntsen, T., DeAngelo, B. J., Flanner, M. G., Ghan, S., Kärcher, B., Koch, D., Kinne, S., Kondo, Y., Quinn, P. K., Sarofim, M. C., Schultz, M. G., Schulz, M., Venkataraman, C., Zhang, H., Zhang, S., Bellouin, N., Guttikunda, S. K., Hopke, P. K., Jacobson, M. Z., Kaiser, J. W., Klimont, Z., Lohmann, U., Schwarz, J. P., Shindell, D., Storelvmo, T., Warren, S. G., and Zender, C. S.: Bounding the role of black carbon in the climate system: A scientific assessment, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 118, 5380–5552, https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrd.50171, 2013.
|
|