Diagnosing black carbon trends in large urban areas using carbon monoxide measurements

[1] The relationship between black carbon (BC) and carbon monoxide (CO) has been analyzed using measurements from two sites in Mexico City and five urban areas in Germany. The correlation coefficient between BC and CO is greater than 0.90 for all sites. The average slope of the linear regression line for BC versus CO is 2.2 μg mg−1 for German sites and 1.1 μg mg−1 in Mexico City. The most important factors that affect the BC to CO relationship appear to be the ratio of diesel to gasoline usage and the combustion efficiency of vehicles in a particular area. The results of this analysis suggest that CO measurements in urban areas can be used to estimate BC mass when direct measurements are not available.

[1]  J. Chow,et al.  Chemical source profiles for particulate motor vehicle exhaust under cold and high altitude operating conditions , 1990 .

[2]  Thomas W. Kirchstetter,et al.  Origin of carbonaceous aerosols over the tropical Indian Ocean: Biomass burning or fossil fuels? , 2000 .

[3]  Robert J. Charlson,et al.  Performance Characteristics of a High-Sensitivity, Three-Wavelength, Total Scatter/Backscatter Nephelometer , 1996 .

[4]  R. Niessner,et al.  The dependence of the specific attenuation cross-section on black carbon mass fraction and particle size , 1997 .

[5]  P. Chylek,et al.  Black carbon and absorption of solar radiation by clouds , 1996 .

[6]  R. Harley,et al.  On-road measurement of fine particle and nitrogen oxide emissions from light- and heavy-duty motor vehicles , 1999 .

[7]  B. Doddridge,et al.  Seasonal variations in elemental carbon aerosol, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide: Implications for sources , 2001 .

[8]  T. Mansfield,et al.  Airborne particulate elemental carbon: Its sources, transport and contribution to dark smoke and soiling , 1991 .

[9]  W. Malm,et al.  Effects of mixing on extinction by carbonaceous particles , 1999 .

[10]  T. Novakov,et al.  Microchemical characterization of aerosols , 1980 .

[11]  Veerabhadran Ramanathan,et al.  Observations of the spectral clear‐sky aerosol forcing over the tropical Indian Ocean , 1999 .

[12]  G. Raga,et al.  On the evolution of aerosol properties at a mountain site above Mexico City , 2000 .

[13]  T. Novakov,et al.  The aethalometer — An instrument for the real-time measurement of optical absorption by aerosol particles , 1983 .

[14]  E. C. Ellis,et al.  Thermal characterization of organic aerosols , 1984 .

[15]  Chang-Yu Wu,et al.  Combustion Aerosols: Factors Governing Their Size and Composition and Implications to Human Health , 2000, Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association.

[16]  Tami C. Bond,et al.  Calibration and Intercomparison of Filter-Based Measurements of Visible Light Absorption by Aerosols , 1999 .

[17]  R. Niessner,et al.  Method comparison study on soot-selective techniques , 1995 .

[18]  Hélène Cachier,et al.  Optical and thermal measurements of black carbon aerosol content in different environments: Variation of the specific attenuation cross-section, sigma (σ) , 1993 .

[19]  S. Cadle,et al.  Atmospheric Carbon Particles in the Detroit Urban Area: Wintertime Sources and Sinks , 1989 .

[20]  P. Groblicki,et al.  An Evaluation of Methods for the Determination of Organic and Elemental Carbon in Particulate Samples , 1982 .

[21]  T. Kuhlbusch,et al.  Method for determining black carbon in residues of vegetation fires. , 1995, Environmental science & technology.

[22]  Michael J. Kleeman,et al.  MEASUREMENT OF EMISSIONS FROM AIR POLLUTION SOURCES. 2. C1 THROUGH C30 ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM MEDIUM DUTY DIESEL TRUCKS , 1999 .

[23]  T. Novakov,et al.  Real-time measurement of the absorption coefficient of aerosol particles. , 1982, Applied optics.

[24]  R. Williams,et al.  Fireplaces, Furnaces and Vehicles as Emission Sources of Particulate Carbon , 1982 .

[25]  E. Goldberg.  Black carbon in the environment , 1985 .

[26]  P. Chylek,et al.  Effect of black carbon on the optical properties and climate forcing of sulfate aerosols , 1995 .

[27]  B. Doddridge,et al.  Concurrent measurements of black carbon aerosol and carbon monoxide at Mace Head , 1996 .

[28]  V. Ramanathan,et al.  Reduction of tropical cloudiness by soot , 2000, Science.

[29]  J. Penner,et al.  Carbonaceous particles in the atmosphere: A historical perspective to the Fifth International Conference on Carbonaceous Particles in the Atmosphere , 1996 .