Measurement report: Chemical characteristics of PM2.5 during typical biomass burning season at an agricultural site of the North China Plain

Biomass burning activities are ubiquitous in China, especially in northern China, where there is a large rural population and winter heating custom. Biomass burning tracers (i.e., levoglucosan, mannosan and potassium (K+)), as well as other chemical components, were quantified at a rural site (Gucheng, GC) in northern China from 15 October to 30 November, during a transition heating season, when the field burning of agricultural residue was becoming intense. The measured daily average concentrations of levoglucosan, mannosan and K+ in PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 mu m) during this study were 0.79 +/- 0.75, 0.03 +/- 0.03 and 1.52 +/- 0.62 mu g m(-3), respectively. Carbonaceous components and biomass burning tracers showed higher levels during nighttime than day-time, while secondary inorganic ions were enhanced during daytime. An episode with high levels of biomass burning tracers was encountered at the end of October 2016, with high levoglucosan at 4.37 mu g m(-3). Based on the comparison of chemical components during different biomass burning pollution periods, it appeared that biomass combustion can obviously elevate carbonaceous component levels, whereas there was essentially no effect on secondary inorganic aerosols in the ambient air. Moreover, the levoglucosan / mannosan ratios during different biomass burning pollution periods remained at high values (in the range of 18.3-24.9); however, the levoglucosan / K+ ratio was significantly elevated during the intensive biomass burning pollution period (1.67) when air temperatures were decreasing, which was substantially higher than in other biomass burning periods (averaged at 0.47).

Automated summary

Biomass burning activities in northern China, with a focus on rural areas, show higher levels of carbonaceous components and biomass burning tracers at night compared to daytime. However, secondary inorganic ions are enhanced during the day. An episode of intense biomass burning pollution was observed at the end of October 2016, with notably high levels of levoglucosan. The study suggests that biomass combustion primarily affects carbonaceous components, rather than secondary inorganic aerosols in the ambient air. Additionally, the levoglucosan / mannosan ratios remained high during different biomass burning pollution periods, but the levoglucosan / K+ ratio was significantly elevated during the period of intense biomass burning pollution.