Birch leaves and branches as a source of ice-nucleating macromolecules

Grothe, Hinrich; Felgitsch, Laura; Burkart, Julia; Baloh, Philipp; Seifried, Teresa M.; Schmale, David G.

doi:10.5194/acp-2017-1042

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…However, not all biological INP are affected by heat. Materials from birch trees e.g., have been shown to be resistant towards heat treatment up to at least 100 • C [51,91]. Further it should be noted that the urea treatment can lead to a shift in pH value, as it can increase the pH value of aqueous systems and influences the dissociation of weak acids [92].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heterogeneous Freezing of Liquid Suspensions Including Juices and Extracts from Berries and Leaves from Perennial Plants

et al. 2019

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Heterogeneous ice nucleation in the atmosphere is not fully understood. In particular, our knowledge of biological materials and their atmospheric ice nucleation properties remains scarce. Here, we present the results from systematic investigations of the ice nucleation activity of plant materials using cryo-microscopy. We examined berry juices, frozen berries, as well as extracts of leaves and dried berries of plants native to boreal regions. All of our samples possess reasonable ice nucleation activity. Their ice nucleating particle concentrations per unit of water volume vary between 9.7 × 105 and 9.2 × 109 cm−3 when examined within temperatures of −12 to −34 °C. Mean freezing temperatures ranged from −18.5 to −45.6 °C. We show that all samples contained ice nuclei in a size range below 0.2 µm and remain active if separated from coarse plant tissue. The results of examining ice nucleation properties of leaves and dry berry extracts suggests that their ice-nucleating components can be easily suspended in water. Sea buckthorn and black currant were analyzed using subtilisin (a protease) and urea. Results suggest proteinaceous compounds to play an important role in their ice nucleation activity. These results show that separation between ice nucleation particles stemming from microorganisms and those stemming from plants cannot be differentiated solely on proteinaceous features. Further oxidation experiments with ozone showed that black currant is highly stable towards ozone oxidation, indicating a long atmospheric life time.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heterogeneous Freezing of Liquid Suspensions Including Juices and Extracts from Berries and Leaves from Perennial Plants

et al. 2019

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“…This study site is free from traffic emissions since it is located in the middle of the Austrian Alps surrounded by mountains. Many native birches of the species Betula pendula grow next to the lake (Figure 3b), making it attractive for field studies on biological INP emissions, since pollen, leaves and wood of Betula pendula contain INPs [17,22]. We divided sampling spots into three different areas (Figure 3c).…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pummer et al showed that INPs of pollen grains can also be in the macromolecular size range [17]. Experiments with birch branches, bark, leaves and pollen have highlighted the possibility of ice nucleation macromolecules (INMs) to be extracted from plant tissues with water [22]. Thus, ice-nucleating BAPs may be generated during rainfall events when droplets impact on tree surfaces and/or leaf litter [23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Drone-Based Bioaerosol Sampling System to Monitor Ice Nucleation Particles in the Lower Atmosphere

et al. 2020

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Terrestrial ecosystems can influence atmospheric processes by contributing a huge variety of biological aerosols (bioaerosols) to the environment. Several types of biological particles, such as pollen grains, fungal spores, and bacteria cells, trigger freezing processes in super-cooled cloud droplets, and as such can contribute to the hydrological cycle. Even though biogenic particles are known as the most active form of ice nucleation particles (INPs), the transport to high tropospheric altitudes, as well as the occurrence in clouds, remains understudied. Thus, transport processes from the land surface into the atmosphere need to be investigated to estimate weather phenomena and climate trends. To help fill this knowledge gap, we developed a drone-based aerosol particles sampling impinger/impactor (DAPSI) system for field studies to investigate sources and near surface transport of biological INPs. DAPSI was designed to attach to commercial rotary-wing drones to collect biological particles within about 100 m of the Earth’s surface. DAPSI provides information on particulate matter concentrations (PM10 & PM2.5), temperature, relative humidity, and air pressure at about 0.5 Hz, by controlling electrical sensors with an onboard computer (Raspberry Pi 3). Two remote-operated sampling systems (impinging and impacting) were integrated into DAPSI. Laboratory tests of the impinging system showed a 96% sampling efficiency for standardized aerosol particles (2 µm polystyrene latex spheres) and 84% for an aerosol containing biological INPs (Betula pendula). A series of sampling missions (12 flights) were performed using two Phantom 4 quadcopters with DAPSI onboard at a remote sampling site near Gosau, Austria. Fluorescence microscopy of impactor foils showed a significant number of auto-fluorescent particles < 0.5 µm at an excitation of 465–495 nm and an emission of 515–555 nm. A slight increase in ice nucleation activity (onset temperature between −27 °C and −31 °C) of sampled aerosol was measured by applying freezing experiments with a microscopic cooling technique. There are a number of unique opportunities for DAPSI to be used to study the transport of bioaerosols, particularly for investigations of biological INP emissions from natural sources such as birch or pine forests.

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“…Line 69: Please include the following references: Felgitsch et al 2018, Kunert et al 2019, Pummer et al 2015 Line 98: Please add the following reference: Kunert et al 2018. Lines 98f: It would be nice if the authors could elaborate a bit more on advantages and disadvantages of the different methods.…”

Section: Specific Commentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reviewer comment on "Development of the drop Freezing Ice Nuclei Counter (FINC), intercomparison of droplet freezing techniques, and use of soluble lignin as an atmospheric ice nucleation standard" by Anna J. Miller et al.

2020

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Birch leaves and branches as a source of ice-nucleating macromolecules

Cited by 4 publications

References 52 publications

Heterogeneous Freezing of Liquid Suspensions Including Juices and Extracts from Berries and Leaves from Perennial Plants

Heterogeneous Freezing of Liquid Suspensions Including Juices and Extracts from Berries and Leaves from Perennial Plants

A Drone-Based Bioaerosol Sampling System to Monitor Ice Nucleation Particles in the Lower Atmosphere

Reviewer comment on "Development of the drop Freezing Ice Nuclei Counter (FINC), intercomparison of droplet freezing techniques, and use of soluble lignin as an atmospheric ice nucleation standard" by Anna J. Miller et al.

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