title: Hydrocarbons in particulate samples from wildfire events in central Portugal in summer 2010.
abstract: In summer 2010, twenty eight (14 PM2.5samples plus 14 samples PM2.5-10) smoke samples were collected during wildfires that occurred in central Portugal. A portable high-volume sampler was used to perform the sampling, on quartz fibre filters of coarse (PM2.5-10) and fine (PM2.5) smoke samples. The carbonaceous content (elemental and organic carbon) of particulate matter was analysed by a thermal-optical technique. Subsequently, the particulate samples were solvent extracted and fractionated by vacuum flash chromatography into three different classes of organic compounds (aliphatics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and carbonyl compounds). The organic speciation was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Emissions were dominated by the fine particles, which represented around 92% of the PM10. A clear predominance of carbonaceous constituents was observed, with organic to elemental carbon (OC/EC) ratios ranging between 1.69 and 245 in both size fractions. The isoprenoid ketone 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone, a tracer for secondary organic aerosol formation, was one of the dominant constituents in both fine and coarse particles. Retene was the most abundant compound in all samples. Good correlations were obtained between OC and both aliphatic and PAH compounds. Pyrogenic processes, thermal release of biogenic compounds and secondary processing accounted for 97% of the apportioned PM2.5levels.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: anavicente@ua.pt.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, IMARENAB, University of León, 24071 León, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Casimiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pio
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Célia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005390:Fires; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011174:Portugal; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
keywords: Biomarkers; Organic carbon; Organic compounds; Particulate matter; Portugal; Wildfires