American Association for Aerosol Research - Abstract Submission

AAAR 36th Annual Conference
October 16 - October 20, 2017
Raleigh Convention Center
Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

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Characterization of Humic-like Substances in Particulate Matter in Malaysia Influenced by Indonesian Peatland Fires

FUJII YUSUKE, Ikeda Kazuhiro, Tohno Susumu, Mahmud Mastura, Center for Environmental Science in Saitama

     Abstract Number: 160
     Working Group: Carbonaceous Aerosols in the Atmosphere

Abstract
Smoke emitted from Indonesian peatland fires has caused dense haze and serious air pollution in Southeast Asia such as visibility impairment and adverse health impacts (Fujii et al., Atmospheric Environment 110, 1–7, 2015). In this study, we characterized ambient total suspended particulates (TSP) with a focus on humic-like substances (HULIS) based on intensive ground-based field samplings in Malaysia during non-haze days and haze ones affected by peatland fires in Sumatra Island for the first time. The TSP samplings were performed at the roof of a building in Universiti Kabangsaan Malaysia in Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia from June 23 to July 8 in 2014. A high-volume air sampler was utilized to continuously collect TSP on a quartz fiber filter for 18 hours at a flow rate of 1.13 m3/min. Detailed information has been provided in our former report (Fujii et al., Aerosol and Air Quality Research 16, 69–78, 2016). After sampling, we determined the water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and the carbon content of HULIS (HULIS-C) by a TOC analyzer. A Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balanced solid phase extraction method was applied to isolate the HULIS from the water extracts (see Park and Son, Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 18, 32–41, 2016). Furthermore, the fluorescence spectra of each HULIS sample was recorded by EEM (Excitation-Emission Matrix) fluorescence spectroscopy. During the sampling periods, the concentrations of WSOC and HULIS-C ranged from 4.1 to 24 and 1.3 to 18 μg/m3, respectively. Significant difference in both concentrations between the haze (WSOC: 9.7–24 μg/m3, HULIS-C: 7.2–18 μg/m3) and non-haze (WSOC: 4.1–7.0 μg/m3, HULIS-C: 1.3–4.4 μg/m3) samples was found. Fulvic-like fluorophores were identified at highest intensity level in the EEM fluorescence spectra of the haze samples.