Chemical characterization of fine particle emissions from fireplace combustion of woods grown in the northeastern United States

A series of source tests was conducted to determine the chemical compositio n of fine particle emissions from the fireplace combustion of six species o f woods grown in the northeastern United States: red maple, northern red oa k, paper birch, eastern white pine, eastern hemlock, and balsam fir. Result s include fine particle emission rates for total mass, organic and elementa l carbon, ionic species, elemental species including potassium, and over 25 0 specific organic compounds. The data are intended for use in source-appor tionment studies that utilize particulate organic compounds as source-speci fic tracers. The cellulose pyrolysis product levoglucosan was quantified in each of the wood smokes studied and is thus a good candidate as a molecula r tracer for wood combustion in general. Differences in emission rates of s pecific substituted phenols and resin acids can be used to distinguish betw een the smoke produced when burning hardwoods versus softwoods. Certain org anic compounds, such as betulin from paper birch combustion and juvabione a nd dehydrojuvabione from balsam fir combustion, are unique to those species and can potentially be utilized to trace particulate emissions back to a s pecific geographical region where those individual tree species are used fo r firewood.