Real-time chemical characterization of primary and aged biomass burning aerosols derived from sub-Saharan African biomass fuels in smoldering fires.

The influence of biomass burning (BB)-derived organic aerosol (OA) emissions on solar radiation absorption and scattering is related to their physicochemical properties and can change upon atmospheric aging. We systematically examined the compositionally-resolved mass concentration and production of primary and secondary organic aerosol (POA and SOA, respectively) in the NC A&T University smog chamber facility. Mass spectral profiles of OA measured by the Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) revealed the influence of dark- and photo-aging, fuel type, and relative humidity.