Emission Factors from Aerial and Ground Measurements
of Field and Laboratory Forest Burns in the Southeastern U.S.: PM<sub>2.5</sub>, Black and Brown Carbon, VOC, and PCDD/PCDF
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Abstract
Aerial-
and ground-sampled emissions from three prescribed forest
burns in the southeastern U.S. were compared to emissions from laboratory
open burn tests using biomass from the same locations. A comprehensive
array of emissions, including PM<sub>2.5</sub>, black carbon (BC),
brown carbon (BrC), carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>), volatile organic
compounds (VOCs), and polychlorinated dibenzo-<i>p</i>-dioxins
(PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were sampled using
ground-based and aerostat-lofted platforms for determination of emission
factors. The PM<sub>2.5</sub> emission factors ranged from 14 to 47
g/kg biomass, up to three times higher than previously published studies.
The biomass type was the primary determinant of PM<sub>2.5</sub>,
rather than whether the emission sample was gathered from the laboratory
or the field and from aerial- or ground-based sampling. The BC and
BrC emission factors ranged from 1.2 to 2.1 g/kg biomass and 1.0 to
1.4 g/kg biomass, respectively. A decrease in BC and BrC emission
factors with decreased combustion efficiency was found from both field
and laboratory data. VOC emission factors increased with decreased
combustion efficiency. No apparent differences in averaged emission
factors were observed between the field and laboratory for BC, BrC,
and VOCs. The average PCDD/PCDF emission factors ranged from 0.06
to 4.6 ng TEQ/kg biomass