The largest sugarcane-growing area in the United States is in South Florida. An estimated 7 million tons of dry sugarcane leafy biomass is removed from the fields before harvest by burning the leaves off the sugarcane...The largest sugarcane-growing area in the United States is in South Florida. An estimated 7 million tons of dry sugarcane leafy biomass is removed from the fields before harvest by burning the leaves off the sugarcane stalks. Preharvest sugarcane leaf foliage burning is a major source of airborne particulate matter (PM), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), biogenic trace elements such as K, volatile hydrocarbons and other pollutants. In one harvesting period, approximately 22 million tons of C02, a greenhouse gas, is released, 7 million tons from leaf foliage preharvest burning alone and 15 million tons from burning sugarcane bagasse in the sugar mills for power generation. In this study, PMio was collected from Belle Glade, close to the sugarcane-growing area, and from Delray Beach, an urbanized area along the East Coast of Florida. The PM samples were analyzed for trace elements and close to organic compounds. To elucidate the importance of preharvest sugarcane biomass smoke emissions on air quality, 39 trace elements, 18 PAHs, and levoglucosan were selected to apportion ambient PM constituents. Al, Ca and to a great extend also Mg are the major soil-related trace elements and key markers for fugitive soil dust emissions. Similarly, sea salt aerosol blown from the Atlantic Ocean into Florida added appreciably to PMio trace elements concentration, especially Na and Cl. Approximately half of the sea salt aerosol (PMjo -portion) by mass is removed from the atmosphere during the transport of ocean air from Delray Beach to Belle Glade. Ambient acid displacement reactions caused a substantial portion of the Cl (30%) to be liberated from the sea salt aerosol to the atmosphere during transport as gaseous HC1. The PAH concentrations at Belle Glade were high when the biomass combustion markers levoglucosan and I< also showed the highest concentrations. This indicates that during the sugarcane harvest season, when leaf foliage is burned off just before harvest, most of the ambient PAHs associated with PMio are indeed related to preharvest burning, harvesting machinery emissions, bagasse burning in sugarcane mills, and other related activities that consume biomass and/or fossil fuels for sugarcane harvesting and processing.展开更多
Airborne particulate matter （PM） is of health and environmental concern not only in highly urbanized areas, but also in rural areas that are used for intensive agricultural purposes, In this study, PM size- segregat...Airborne particulate matter （PM） is of health and environmental concern not only in highly urbanized areas, but also in rural areas that are used for intensive agricultural purposes, In this study, PM size- segregated samples were collected simultaneously for 12 months in a small town （Belle Glade, Florida）, which is the center of a vast sugarcane growing area and at Delray Beach, a coastal city in Palm Beach County, Florida. During the winter sampling period, when sugarcane foliage is burned just before harvest- ing to reduce the amount of plant matter to be handled, PM10 levels were 50% or higher than otherwise measured, indicating that sugarcane harvesting and processing is a major local source for PM10. For the rest of the year, PM10 levels at both sites are similar, suggesting that ambient PM levels at both sites are impacted by the major urban centers in Southern Florida. During late July and early August, the PM10 levels at both sites were substantially elevated and revealed the typical red-brownish color of Saharan dust. This has been reported to occur frequently with suitable meteorological conditions over the Atlantic Ocean coupled with a Sahara dust storm event. During the sugarcane harvesting season at Belle Glade, the concentrations of PAHs associated with PM10 were up to 15 times higher than those measured during the summer growing season, indicating a substantially higher exposure of the rural population to these often mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds.展开更多
文摘The largest sugarcane-growing area in the United States is in South Florida. An estimated 7 million tons of dry sugarcane leafy biomass is removed from the fields before harvest by burning the leaves off the sugarcane stalks. Preharvest sugarcane leaf foliage burning is a major source of airborne particulate matter (PM), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), biogenic trace elements such as K, volatile hydrocarbons and other pollutants. In one harvesting period, approximately 22 million tons of C02, a greenhouse gas, is released, 7 million tons from leaf foliage preharvest burning alone and 15 million tons from burning sugarcane bagasse in the sugar mills for power generation. In this study, PMio was collected from Belle Glade, close to the sugarcane-growing area, and from Delray Beach, an urbanized area along the East Coast of Florida. The PM samples were analyzed for trace elements and close to organic compounds. To elucidate the importance of preharvest sugarcane biomass smoke emissions on air quality, 39 trace elements, 18 PAHs, and levoglucosan were selected to apportion ambient PM constituents. Al, Ca and to a great extend also Mg are the major soil-related trace elements and key markers for fugitive soil dust emissions. Similarly, sea salt aerosol blown from the Atlantic Ocean into Florida added appreciably to PMio trace elements concentration, especially Na and Cl. Approximately half of the sea salt aerosol (PMjo -portion) by mass is removed from the atmosphere during the transport of ocean air from Delray Beach to Belle Glade. Ambient acid displacement reactions caused a substantial portion of the Cl (30%) to be liberated from the sea salt aerosol to the atmosphere during transport as gaseous HC1. The PAH concentrations at Belle Glade were high when the biomass combustion markers levoglucosan and I< also showed the highest concentrations. This indicates that during the sugarcane harvest season, when leaf foliage is burned off just before harvest, most of the ambient PAHs associated with PMio are indeed related to preharvest burning, harvesting machinery emissions, bagasse burning in sugarcane mills, and other related activities that consume biomass and/or fossil fuels for sugarcane harvesting and processing.
文摘Airborne particulate matter （PM） is of health and environmental concern not only in highly urbanized areas, but also in rural areas that are used for intensive agricultural purposes, In this study, PM size- segregated samples were collected simultaneously for 12 months in a small town （Belle Glade, Florida）, which is the center of a vast sugarcane growing area and at Delray Beach, a coastal city in Palm Beach County, Florida. During the winter sampling period, when sugarcane foliage is burned just before harvest- ing to reduce the amount of plant matter to be handled, PM10 levels were 50% or higher than otherwise measured, indicating that sugarcane harvesting and processing is a major local source for PM10. For the rest of the year, PM10 levels at both sites are similar, suggesting that ambient PM levels at both sites are impacted by the major urban centers in Southern Florida. During late July and early August, the PM10 levels at both sites were substantially elevated and revealed the typical red-brownish color of Saharan dust. This has been reported to occur frequently with suitable meteorological conditions over the Atlantic Ocean coupled with a Sahara dust storm event. During the sugarcane harvesting season at Belle Glade, the concentrations of PAHs associated with PM10 were up to 15 times higher than those measured during the summer growing season, indicating a substantially higher exposure of the rural population to these often mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds.
