PM₁₀ Bound Elements, Ions, Carbon and PAHs during Festive Biomass Burning over the Brahmaputra Valley

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Barman, Nivedita^a | Bhuyan, Pranamika^a | Chabukdhara, Mayuri^b | Deka, Pratibha^b | Hoque, Raza Rafiqul^{a; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Environmental Science, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784028, India | [b] Department of Environmental Biology and Wildlife Sciences, Cotton College State University, Guwahati 781001, India

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding Author. rrh@tezu.ernet.in

Abstract: Episodic meji burning (a festive biomass burning) is a significant local contributor of PM10 in the mid-Brahmaputra Valley. The PM10 samples of meji burning period were chemically characterized for elements, ions, carbon and the USEPA’s 16 priority Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). This paper presents the concentrations of various attributes of PM10 during meji festivities. As such, linear relationship between EC, OC and other chemical species, and diagnostic ratios of selected PAHs indicated strong influence of biomass burning on PM10 load and its properties.

Keywords: Meji, biomass burning, PM₁₀ characterization, PAHs

DOI: 10.3233/AJW-170013

Journal: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 27-40, 2017