Molecular characterization and optical properties of primary emissions from a residential wood burning boiler.

Modern small-scale biomass burners have been recognized as an important renewable energy source because of the economic and environmental advantages of biomass over fossil fuels. However, the characteristics of their gas and particulate emissions remain incompletely understood, and there is substantial uncertainty concerning their health and climate impacts. Here, we present online measurements conducted during the operation of a residential wood-burning boiler.

Ozonolysis of beta-pinene: temperature dependence of secondary organic aerosol mass fraction.

The SOA formation from beta-pinene ozonolysis at modest precursor concentrations (2-40 ppb) was investigated in the temperature range of 0-40 degrees C. The presence of inert seeds and high ozone concentrations is necessary to minimize losses of semivolatile vapors to the walls of the smog chamber. beta-pinene secondary organic aerosol production increases significantly with decreasing temperature.