Abstract
The increasing popularity of wood fired heating appliances in cold winter climates has focused attention on assessment of woodsmoke exposures. Pollution from residential wood combustion (RWC) is a major concern in areas with valley topography where nighttime inversions limit the dispersion of pollutants from ground-level sources. An intensive characterization of ambient particulate mater (PM) from RWC was performed in northern New York State during winter 2008-2009 in an area where the 2005 U.S. EPA National Emissions Inventory shows RWC to be the largest source of PM2.5. Measurements of woodsmoke PM were made using optical scattering and absorption techniques during repeated night-time mobile monitoring to provide data with high spatial and temporal resolution; measurements were also made at six fixed sites for the study period to provide temporal context for the mobile measurements. The difference in optical absorption at near-infrared and near-ultraviolet wavelengths was used as a specific marker for woodsmoke PM. Woodsmoke was the only significant contributor to elevated night-time valley PM concentrations during mobile run nights; short-term (3 minute) PM concentrations frequently exceeded 100 μg/m^3. Concentrations observed with mobile monitoring were consistently elevated at valley bottoms where the majority of the population lives, and approached zero outside of valleys. Data from fixed sites indicated that woodsmoke levels peaked near midnight, with a secondary peak around 7 AM and a mid-day minimum. These patterns are consistent with RWC use and diurnal patterns of atmospheric dispersion.
Highlights
There is ample evidence that residential wood combustion (RWC) emits significant quantities of pollutants that are known to impact health, including particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and a number of known human carcinogens, including benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Naeher et al, 2007)
Mobile Loop Measures The DR4 particulate mater (PM) data were considered to be strongly driven by woodsmoke PM concentrations for the mobile runs because other large sources of PM2.5 were unlikely at these rural locations in the winter and late at night
Data were screened to identify any periods when PM (DR4) concentrations were elevated with no evidence of woodsmoke from the DC Aethalometer measurements; no such "other PM" events were evident
Summary
There is ample evidence that residential wood combustion (RWC) emits significant quantities of pollutants that are known to impact health, including particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and a number of known human carcinogens, including benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Naeher et al, 2007). Mobile and fixed-site woodsmoke measurements were made in the Adirondacks region of upstate New York during the winter of 2008–2009 to support the application of the land use regression models referenced above and predict the spatial variation of residential wintertime woodsmoke in a non-urban region (NYSERDA, 2010).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call