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Prescribed Burning (PB) Impacts on Air Quality in the South-Eastern U.S.

Prescribed Burning (PB) Impacts on Air Quality in the South-Eastern U.S. Karsten Baumann , Rick Saylor, Ben Hartsell, Eric Edgerton Atmospheric Research & Analysis, Inc. Contributors: M. Clements, P. Gustafson, J. Greenlee, A. Braswell, D. Chan, K. Redmond,

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Prescribed Burning (PB) Impacts on Air Quality in the South-Eastern U.S.

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  1. Prescribed Burning (PB) Impacts on Air Quality in the South-Eastern U.S. • Karsten Baumann, Rick Saylor, Ben Hartsell, Eric Edgerton Atmospheric Research & Analysis, Inc. Contributors: M. Clements, P. Gustafson, J. Greenlee, A. Braswell, D. Chan, K. Redmond, J.B. Flanagan, S. Lee, M.E. Chang, A.G. Russell, J.J. Schauer, L.P. Naeher, D.D. Blake Sponsors: DoD/EPA/State P2 Partnership, USAIC, IMA-SERO

  2. PB Benefits and Objectives • Reducing wildfire risk • Preparing sites for tree regeneration • Controlling disease and tree competition • Disposing of logging debris • Improving wildlife habitat • Improving understory forage for grazing • Enhancing aesthetics • Perpetuating fire-dependent species • Managing endangered species

  3. BUT: PB is 3rd largest anthropogenic source of primary PM2.5* …with > 8 million acres burned in SE-US mostly Jan-Jun.** * EPA (2004), Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter, Fourth External Review Draft Report, EPA-600/P-99-002, aD, bD, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC, with data from http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/trends/. ** Wade D.D., B.L. Brock, P.H. Brose. J.B. Grace, G.A. Hoch, W.A. Patterson III, Chapter 4:53-96. In Brown J.K., Smith J.K. (Eds.): Wildland Fire in Ecosystems: Effects of Fire on Flora, Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-42-2 Ogden, UT. USDA-FS, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 2000.

  4. Conflict: Intensely Managed Areas Neighboring MSAs Military Installations in SE-US are required to maintain ecosystem by prescribed burning, risking violations of the NAAQS. Most Army installations reside next to cities subject to regulatory monitoring (MSA). Reduction of daily PM2.5 NAAQS from 65 to 35 mg m-3 will challenge most counties to stay in compliance. Endangered Species Act Clean Air Act

  5. PB across South-Eastern U.S. in March 2002 Wang (GIT), Barnard (Mactec), et al., VISTAS Data Analysis, personal communication, 2006.

  6. Prescribed Burning (PB) in Georgia> 1,000,000 acres annually, majority in winter half

  7. GRF GRF FAQS Period Jul’00 - Sep’03 MAY - OCT NOV – APR JST Period AUG’99 GRF GRF PM2.5 Wind Roses: Seasonal Differences Across GAIndications for Regional and Local Transport Fall line Air Quality Study (FAQS), Final Report available via http://cure.eas.gatech.edu/faqs/index.html

  8. Source Source Receptor Receptor Air mass in 1 hr Hourly incremented back-trajectory arriving at receptor site on 4/28 at 1500 EST and 500 m agl [Draxler & Rolph, 2003]. April 2004 Prescribed Burning Source - Receptor Field Study…to demonstrate procedures that directly link PB emissions with source impact areas.

  9. PM Gas x1000 Emission Profiles and Factors • Organic carbon (OC) is a dominant species of particulate emission, followed by EC and K. • Enhanced emissions (2-3 orders > background)of Aromatics (benzene, toluene, xylenes), NH3 and Biogenics (isoprene, a-/b-pinene), important precursors for formation of secondary PM. • Emission Factors (EF) higher at smoldering than flaming; even more as C content increases. Lee et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 39, 9049-9056, 2005

  10. 176 72.3 131 mg/g OC 307 Open burning simulation comes closest Comparisons With Other Emission Studies • Different identified organic mass concentrations and fractions • Different profile (different fuels, different combustion conditions) • Significant level of cholesterol seen only in “real world” emissions! Fireplace Lee et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 39, 9049-9056, 2005

  11. Bungalow Rd., Augusta 250 oN / 20 km from burn Ft. Benng. Jct., Columbus105 oN / 25 km from burn Fine PM Mass and Composition at Receptor Sites • Organic mass (OM = 1.6*OC) and sulfate are the major species of the measured ambient PM2.5 comprising more than 65% of its mass. Lee et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 39, 9049-9056, 2005

  12. Bungalow Rd., Augusta 250 oN / 20 km from burn Ft. Benng. Jct., Columbus105 oN / 25 km from burn CMB Receptor ModelingOrganic Carbon (OC) Source Apportionment at Receptors rain • Motor vehicles and PB are major contributors to ambient [OC]. • PB emissions contribute esp. during and immediately after the burns. • Large unexplained fraction during (+after) regional rain events, possibly due to SOA?Needs further investigation! Lee et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 39, 9049-9056, 2005

  13. Importance of direct (primary) and indirect (secondary) emissions: How fast are they formed? O3 SOA Others CO CO2 VOCs NOx PM Toxics

  14. Fort Benning 400 acr PB from ca. 4 miles away

  15. PMF Receptor Modeling in Urban SE-US Using STNPM2.5 Factor Contributions at Birmingham, AL Similarities between Biomass Burning and SOC contributions Baumann et al., JAWMA 58, 27-44, 2008

  16. PMF Receptor Modeling in Rural SE-US Using SEARCHPM2.5 Factor Contributions in Q1 vs. YRK CTR OAK Q3 • Secondary sulfate factor has more regional character with higher FCE in Q3. • Prescribed burning factor has more local features with higher FCE in Q1. • YRK least rural and influenced by ATL air shed. Baumann et al., JAWMA submitted, 2008

  17. PMF Receptor Modeling in Rural SE-US Using SEARCHDistribution of Major Precursor Sources: SO2* and OVOC** * EPA, Technology Transfer Network, Clearinghouse for Inventories & Emissions Factors, 2002 National Emissions Inventory Data & Documentation, accessible via http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/net/2002inventory.html#inventorydata. ** NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) with 2005 data extracted from the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) via http://map.ngdc.noaa.gov/website/firedetects/viewer.htm.

  18. PMF Receptor Modeling in Rural SE-US Using SEARCHPM2.5 Daily Source Contributions in Jan-Feb 2005 at OAK • 1/25 and 2/6 2005 saw highest and second highest PM2.5 and OC concentrations at OAK. • In both events PB contributions dominate both PM2.5 and OC concentrations. • Sulfate and sSO4 contributions are low during 1st and high during 2nd event. • Fraction of sulfate neutralized in NH4+-NO3- milieu is 78 and 87 % during 1st and 2nd event, respectively. • OM/OC ratio is ~1.4 during 1st and ~1.8 during 2nd event. • Arrival of mostly rural air mass from W on 1/25 vs. urban/SO2 influenced air mass from E on 2/6. •  Do OOE on 2/6 contain S (e.g. in form of organosulfates per Surratt et al., 2008)? • SOA formation indicated by un-apportioned OC, OC/EC and SOC/OC, peaks during both events. •  Back-trajectories and on-site observations suggest fast (few h) SOA formation in PB plumes. Baumann et al., JAWMA submitted, 2008

  19. Main Conclusions • PB is a regional source with local impacts on rural receptors. • DoD is most sensitive to PB application due to civilian encroachment (opportunity to test alternative land management practices?). • Both CMB and PMF yield significant contributions from a source/factor resembling PB to receptor [PM2.5] and [OC]. • PMF plausibly reflects lower BB-FCE in urban environs (BHM), while higher BB-FCE are obtained in rural environs (CTR, OAK). • Rural receptors see highest BB-FCE during highest PB activity (Q1). • Reactive PB emissions suggest rapid SOA formation as indicated by OAK case study (being further investigated).

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