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Increased Biomass Burning and Winter-time Air Quality in Thessaloniki

This study examines the adverse impact of increased biomass burning due to the economic crisis in Greece on winter-time air quality in Thessaloniki. Results show a significant deterioration in air quality and suggest the need for effective pollution control strategies.

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Increased Biomass Burning and Winter-time Air Quality in Thessaloniki

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  1. Increased Biomass Burning due to the Economic Crisis in Greece and its Adverse Impact on Winter-time Air Quality in Thessaloniki Constantinos Sioutas, Sc.D. Fred Champion Professor of Environmental Engineering University of Southern California (USC) Los Angeles, CA, 90089 Web Site: www.usc.edu/aerosol Full Manuscript of this study is available on-line: Saffari et al., ES&T, 2013

  2. Overview:

  3. Motivations: • Thessaloniki: • 2nd largest city in Greece • One of the most polluted cities within the EU • Change of Residential Heating Method due to the Economic Crisis: • Increased fuel oil price (nearly tripling from 2010 to 2013) • Wood and Biomassburning for residential heating instead of more expensive fuel oil

  4. Motivation: Enriched with toxic and carcinogenic organic compounds (e.g. PAHs) Wood smoke particles • Pulmonary diseases (Levi et al., 2006) • Increased blood pressure (McCracken et al., 2007) • Increased inflammatory biomarkers (Barregard et al., 2006) Adverse health effects of exposure to wood smoke • The extent to which biomass burning has increased within the last two years in Thessaloniki • Impact of biomass on Particulate Matter (PM) chemical composition and toxicity Study Objectives

  5. Methodology: • Size Range of interest: PM2.5 • Sampler: Low Volume Sampler • Location: Municipality of Thessaloniki (Urban background- Eptapyrgion) • Period: Feb-Mar 2012 and Jan-Feb 2013 Sampling Protocol: • Organic and Elemental Carbon (EC/OC) • Trace Elements and Metals (total and water soluble fraction) • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) • Organic Biomass Tracers • Oxidative Potential (Macrophage cell-based ROS activity) Chemical and Toxicological Analyses:

  6. Results: Particle Mass Reconstruction • 30% increase in total PM2.5 in 2013 compared to 2012. • 2-fold higher PM2.5 in the evening compared to morning (effect of increased evening-time residential heating) • Remarkable increase of Organic Matter in the evening compared to Morning as well as 2013 compared to 2012 (Next Slide)

  7. Results: Trace Elements and Metals ~ 2-3-fold increase in 2013 compared to 2013 and evening compared to morning (increased wood smoke) ~ 40% decrease in V and Ni concentrations in 2013 compared to 2012 (decreased fuel oil combustion) Concentrations in ng/m3

  8. Results: PAHs • PAHs may originate from both traffic sources as well as wood and biomass burning. • ~10-fold increase in 2013 • 2013 level is almost 2 times above the EU annual limit Concentrations in ng/m3 • 5-fold increase in 2013 compared to 2012, driven by wood and biomass combustion.

  9. Results: Organic Markers of Biomass Burning

  10. Redox-Activity of PM (Oxidative Potential) Measurement Cellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) assay • Rat Alveolar Macrophages (AM) • ROS Assay measures the direct capability of PM to generate ROS inside cells. We apply a known amount of PM mass on incubated macrophage cells and measure production of fluorescence • Strongly correlated with inflammatory biomarkers in humans Rat Alveolar macrophage (fluoroscent) (non-fluoroscent) DCH DCFH PM constituents ROS (2’7’-dichlorodihydrofluorescin) DCFH DCFH-DA DCF (2’7’-dichlorodihydrofluorescin diacetate) (2’7’-dichlorofluorescin)

  11. Results: Redox Activity Volume-normalized ROS activity (Indicator of exposure to toxic PM) • All of the ROS levels in this figure correspond to 2013.

  12. Results: Redox Activity Association of ROS activity and chemical species in 2013: Biomass burning tracers are associated with the ROS activity • Underlined numbers indicate values with R>0.7 and p<0.05

  13. Conclusions: • Significant increase in concentrations of total PM2.5massand organic tracers of biomass combustion in 2013 compared to 2012 imply the notable deterioration of Thessaloniki’s urban air quality during the period of economic recession. • Wintertime PM-induced redox activity in Thessaloniki is strongly associated with wood smoke, originating from residential heating. • Active involvement of public authorities and local air quality control agencies is urgently required to implement effective air pollution control strategies in the area. • A practical long-term solution could be increased natural gas distribution in residential areas. • Catalytic domestic wood burners and increasing the energy efficiency of existing buildings might be additional possible solutions

  14. Acknowledgements: • Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene for their assistance with the chemical analyses. • USC’s Provost and Viterbi Graduate Fellowships. • Mr. ApostolosKelessis from municipality of Thessaloniki for facilitating the sampling campaign. • Mayor’s Office- Municipality of Thessaloniki

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