Open AccessMass concentration and size distribution of particles released from harvesting and biomass burning of sugarcane
Author(s) -
Dattamudi Sanku,
Wang Jim J.,
Dodla Syam K.,
DeLaune Ronald,
Hiscox April,
Viator Howard,
Jeong Changyoon
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
agricultural and environmental letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.681
H-Index - 12
ISSN - 2471-9625
DOI - 10.1002/ael2.20028
Subject(s) - cane , particulates , biomass (ecology) , saccharum , environmental science , chemistry , horticulture , zoology , agronomy , biology , sugar , food science , organic chemistry
We evaluated size distribution and mass concentrations of fine (particulate matter < 2.5 μm, PM 2.5 ) and coarse (particulate matter = 2.5–10 μm, PM 2.5‐10 ) particles released during sugarcane ( Saccharum spp.) harvesting operations, including cutting of green cane (GH), burning of standing cane (SB), cane harvest cutting after SB (BH), and ground burning of harvest residues left in the field (GB). Total number of PM 2.5 released from GB was 1.63 times greater than that from SB. Total time of burning (flaming + smoldering) phase during GB was 1.5 to 2.1 times longer than SB. The flaming phase for both GB and SB was shorter than the smoldering phase but emitted 5.2 to 7.5 times more PM 2.5 . Average particle density of PM 2.5 from burning operations was 1.12 g cm −3 for GB and 0.52 g cm −3 for SB. The GH and BH released lower PM 2.5 but higher PM 2.5‐10 as compared to SB and GB. Overall, biomass burning, regardless GB and SB difference, released significantly higher PM 2.5 than harvest‐cutting operations.