Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 2 Physical properties and chemical components analyzed from the smoke particles in the
northern European regions
Property/chemical component
Reference
Levoglucosan
[
9
,
10
,
14
,
16
-
21
,
30
,
31
]
Organic carbon
[
10
,
16
-
21
,
25
,
27
,
30
,
31
]
Water-soluble organic carbon
[
18
-
20
,
27
,
30
]
14
C
[
31
]
BC/BC
e
a
/EC/LAC
b
/BS
c
[
9
,
10
,
14
,
16
-
21
,
25
-
27
,
29
-
31
,
33
]
Ions
[
9
,
10
,
12
-
14
,
16
-
23
,
27
,
30
]
[
12
]
d
;[
13
,
14
]
d
;[
17
]
d
;[
27
]
d
;[
21
-
23
]
Elements
PAHs
[
22
,
23
]
Size-distribution
[
10
,
14
,
27
]: [
18
,
20
,
21
,
25
,
28
,
32
,
33
]
Optical properties
[
10
,
24
,
27
,
28
,
32
,
33
]
a
Equivalent black carbon
b
Light-absorbing carbon
c
Black smoke
d
Individual particle analysis
4 Properties of LRT Smoke Particles
Particle physical properties typically change under the impact of smoke plume but
these changes may not be specific for the wildfire smoke. In addition to biomass
burning, particle mass or number concentration can increase due to the biogenic or
other anthropogenic sources, e.g., traffic or industrial emissions. Chemical compo-
sition of particles is more unique to particle source, however, particles with similar
chemistry can have different origin. Physical and chemical properties of the LRT
biomass burning particles observed in Northern Europe are discussed below.
Physical properties and the chemical components measured from the smoke
particles are summarized in Table
2
. The measurements of PM mass concentrations
are excluded from Table
2
as nearly all the studies had some measurements of
particle mass.
4.1 Physical Properties
4.1.1 Particle Mass and Number Concentration
The increase of PM in air is one of the main indicators showing the presence of LRT
smoke. The increase in PM due to LRT smoke is more pronounced in PM
1
or PM
2.5
,
and most of the mass is usually located in fine particles. However, elevated levels of
coarse particles have also been attributed to the LRT smoke [
19
]. The episodes in
April to May and August 2006 can clearly be seen in the PM
1
data from Helsinki for
the period of March 2006 to February 2007 (Fig.
2
). Also particle number concen-
tration increases with the smoke plume but usually less than the PM mass. In spring
