Residential Biomass Burning Emissions over Northwestern Himalayan Region of India: Chemical Characterization and Budget Estimation

Abstract

In the present study, we have determined the emission factors (EF) and estimated the emission of particulate matter (PM), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), water soluble inorganic constituents (WSIC) and trace gases such as SO 2 , NO and NO 2 from the combustion of biomass fuels (FW: fuel wood and DC: dung cake) used in rural sectors for cooking over Himachal Pradesh (HP), representing the Northwestern Himalayan region of India. The average EFs of PM estimated from FW and DC were 3.44 ± 2.38 and 11.43 ± 1.13 g kg -1 , respectively. OC and EC emission ranged from 0.106 to 3.55 g kg -1 and 0.07 to 0.90 g kg -1 , respectively for variety of biomass fuels. Total emission of PAHs from DC (44.37 mg kg ) noted in this study was almost similar. Similarly, the average EFs of NO x from FW and DC were 0.59 ± 0.49 g kg -1 and 0.34 ± 0.18 g kg -1 , respectively. FWs have comparatively higher SO 2 emission (average: 0.43 ± 0.38 g kg -1 ) than from DC (average: 0.23 ± 0.15 g kg -1 ). Among anionic inorganic constituents emitted from FW, maximum EF was noted for Cl -(0.30 ± 0.26 g kg -1 ). Similarly for cations, highest EF was noted of K + (0.20 ± 0.09 g kg -1 ). Ca 2+ and Na + were the major cationic species identified in plumes of DC burning. Utilizing total annual consumption of biomass fuels and EFs of particulates and trace gases determined in the present study over HP and in the past study (Saud et al., 2011 over Uttarakhand, budget estimates of PM, OC, EC, TC, PAHs, SO 2 and NO x have been determined over the Northwestern Himalayan region. Total annual emission estimated over Northwestern Himalayan region are as:

Investigation of the source, morphology, and trace elements associated with atmospheric PM10 and human health risks due to inhalation of carcinogenic elements at Dehradun, an Indo-Himalayan city

“…Therefore, apart from forest fire burning emissions, fuelwood can also influence the air quality in the surrounding region. An earlier study revealed that the PM estimate from biomass fuel is about 8.61 ± 4.54 Gg/ year, which is higher than several north Indian states [55].…”

A Study of Socio-Economic Impact of Soft Approaches of Climate Adaptation using Changing Fuel Practice in Indoor Air at Rural Sites in India

“…The EC concentrations are higher in evening time than in the morning time as wood was being used in the evening time for heating purposes and dung cake in the morning for cooking. 50 Clearly, in afternoon times when cooking is not taking place, concentrations of OC and EC in Budhwada (M.P.) was decreased only by 44.6% and 33.8% respectively whereas in Baggi (H.P.)…”

“…The moisture content in fuelwood is lesser as compared to dung cake, hence fuelwood contributes higher emissions of EC. 50,54 biomass burning was least in this house and so are the emissions. Among all the houses, house H had the average concentrations of OC and EC at 92.56 ± 47.14 µg/m 3 and 54.93 ± 24.72 µg/m 3 respectively.…”

Biomass-Derived Provenance Dominates Glacial Surface Organic Carbon in the Western Himalaya

“…Direct aerosol measurements studies over the western and northwestern Himalaya hill stations also supports a predominant burnt carbon biomass source. 53,54 Given that it is well known that OC ff particles are more readily transported over longdistances compared to OC bio 55 , and thus, if OC bio were transported from geographically distant sources, OC ff particles were expected to be similar or higher in concentration compared to OC bio in western Himalayan glaciers. The near absence of OC ff and prevalence of local air mass circulation therefore indicate that carbonaceous particles in western Himalaya are only derived from locally burnt biomass sources.…”