Journal article
Separating spatial patterns in pollution attributable to woodsmoke and other sources, during daytime and nighttime hours, in Christchurch, New Zealand
Environmental research, v 171, pp 228-238
Apr 2019
PMID: 30685575
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
During winter nights, woodsmoke may be a predominant source of air pollution, even in cities with many sources. Since two major earthquakes resulted in major structural damage in 2010 and 2011, reliance on woodburning for home heating has increased substantially in Christchurch, New Zealand (NZ), along with intensive construction/demolition activities. Further, because NZ is a relatively isolated western country, it offers the unique opportunity to disentangle multiple source impacts in the absence of long-range transport pollution. Finally, although many spatial saturation studies have been published, and levoglucosan is an established tracer for woodburning emissions, few studies have monitored multiple sites simultaneously for this or other organic constituents, with the ability to distinguish spatial patterns for daytime vs. nighttime hours, in complex urban settings.
We captured seven-day integrated samples of PM2.5, and elemental and organic tracers of woodsmoke and diesel emissions, during “daytime” (7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.) and “nighttime” (7 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.) hours, at nine sites across commercial and residential areas, over three weeks in early winter (May 2014). At a subset of six sites, we also sampled during hypothesized “peak” woodburning hours (7 p.m. – 12 a.m.), to differentiate emissions during “active” residential woodburning, vs. overnight smouldering.
Concentrations of PM2.5 were, on average, were twice as high during nighttime than daytime [µ = 18.4 (SD = 6.13) vs. 9.21 (SD = 6.13) µg/m3], with much greater differences in woodsmoke tracers (i.e., levoglucosan [µ = 1.83 (SD = 0.82) vs. 0.34 (SD = 0.17) µg/m3], potassium) and indicators of treated- or painted-wood burning (e.g., arsenic, lead). Only nitrogen dioxide, calcium, iron, and manganese (tracers of vehicular emissions) were higher during daytime. Levoglucosan and most PAHs were higher during “active” woodburning, vs. overnight smouldering.
Our time-stratified spatial saturation detected strong spatial variability throughout the study area, which distinctly differed during daytime vs. night time hours, and quantified the substantial contribution of woodsmoke to overnight spatial variation in PM2.5 across Christchurch. Daytime vs. nighttime differences were greater than those observed across sites. Traffic, especially diesel, contributed substantially to daytime NO2 and spatial gradients in non-woodsmoke constituents.
•Few studies examine woodburning with urban sources on spatial variance in pollution.•Few studies isolate nighttime vs. daytime pollution patterns, using source tracers.•Average concentrations differed more for daytime vs. nighttime than across sites.•We found higher woodsmoke and treated-wood tracers at night; higher NO2 by day.•We found higher levoglucosan and PAHs during woodburning vs. smouldering.
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Details
- Title
- Separating spatial patterns in pollution attributable to woodsmoke and other sources, during daytime and nighttime hours, in Christchurch, New Zealand
- Creators
- Brett Tunno - University of PittsburghIan Longley - National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchElizabeth Somervell - National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchSam Edwards - National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchGustavo Olivares - National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchSally Gray - National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchLeah Cambal - University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesLauren Chubb - University of PittsburghCourtney Roper - University of PittsburghGuy Coulson - National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchJane E. Clougherty - University of Pittsburgh
- Publication Details
- Environmental research, v 171, pp 228-238
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Environmental and Occupational Health
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000460081300026
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85060339247
- Other Identifier
- 991019168059404721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health