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Impact of Biomass Combustion on Urban Fine Particulate Matter in Central and Northern Europe

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Abstract

The impact of biomass combustion on atmospheric particulate matter was investigated at Central and Northern European urban background sites (Duisburg, Prague, Amsterdam, Helsinki) in 2002–2003. In Helsinki, additional 4-week sampling campaigns were carried out during the four seasons in 2003–2004. During campaigns fine particles (PM2.5) and size-segregated samples were collected with a virtual impactor and a ten-stage Berner low-pressure impactor, respectively. From the aerosol samples monosaccharide anhydrides (MA) were determined as source specific tracers for biomass combustion. MA comprised 0.29–6.3% of the PM2.5 mass and 0.45–7.3% of its organic carbon content. According to size-segregated samples, the mean diameter of a prominent MA mode coincided with the accumulation mode of particulate mass, except for Prague where the MA mode appeared in a slightly smaller particle size range than the mass. The estimated contribution of biomass combustion to the OC and PM2.5 mass concentration was the highest in wintertime Prague, 79% and 37%, respectively. It seems that, in addition to traffic in densely populated areas, incomplete biomass combustion with current heating appliances can be a major source of particulate pollution both at local and regional scales.

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Acknowledgement

This study was conducted within the framework of the project ‘Chemical and biological characterization of ambient air coarse, fine, and ultrafine particles for human health risk assessment in Europe’ (PAMCHAR) co-ordinated by the National Public Health Institute of Finland (http://www.pamchar.org/). The financial support of the EC-FP5 Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources Programme (Contract QLK4-CT-2001–00423), the Academy of Finland (FINE-contracts 201701 and 201131), and the Centre of Excellence Programme 2002–2007 of the Academy of Finland (Contract 53307) and the National Technology Fund (TEKES, Contract 40715/01) is also highly appreciated. The authors are grateful to the teams of T. Kuhlbusch (Institute für Energie- und Umwelttechnik, Duisburg, DE), M. Branis (Charles University in Prague, CZ), B. Brunekreef (University of Utrecht, NL), J. Sunyer (Institut Minicipal d’Investigaci Médica, Barcelona, ES) and K. Katsouyanni and I. Kavouras (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and National Observatory of Athens, GR) for conducting the sampling campaigns. The PAMCHAR project belongs to COST Action 633 on Particulate matter: properties related to health effects (http://www.cost.esf.org/index.php?id=206&action_number=633). Sanna Saarikoski also acknowledges the financial support granted by the Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation.

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  1. Air Quality, Finnish Meteorological Institute, P.O. Box 503, 00101, Helsinki, Finland

    Sanna K. Saarikoski, Markus K. Sillanpää, Karri M. Saarnio & Risto E. Hillamo

  2. Department of Environmental Health, National Public Health Institute, P.O. Box 95, 70701, Kuopio, Finland

    Arto S. Pennanen & Raimo O. Salonen

  3. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Markus K. Sillanpää

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  1. Sanna K. Saarikoski
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Correspondence to Sanna K. Saarikoski.

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Saarikoski, S.K., Sillanpää, M.K., Saarnio, K.M. et al. Impact of Biomass Combustion on Urban Fine Particulate Matter in Central and Northern Europe. Water Air Soil Pollut 191, 265–277 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-008-9623-1

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