Chemically speciated air pollutant emissions from open burning of household solid waste from South Africa

Abstract 2.5 species as well as acidic and alkali gases measured from laboratory combustion of 10 waste categories that represent open burning in South Africa. Carbonaceous materials contributed more than 70 % of PM2.5 mass. Elemental carbon (EC) was most abundant from flaming materials (e.g., plastic bags, textiles, and combined materials), and its climate forcing exceeded the corresponding CO2 emissions by a factor of 2–5. Chlorine had the highest EFs among elements measured by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for all materials. Vegetation emissions showed high abundances of potassium, consistent with its use as a marker for biomass burning. Fresh PM2.5 emitted from waste burning appeared to be acidic. Moist vegetation and food discards had the highest hydrogen fluoride (HF) and PM fluoride EFs due to fluorine accumulation in plants, while burning rubber had the highest hydrogen chloride (HCl) and PM chloride EFs due to high chlorine content in the rubber. Plastic bottles, plastic bags, rubber, and food discards had the highest EFs for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs as well as their associated toxicities. Distinct differences between odd and even carbon preferences were found for alkanes from biological and petroleum-based materials: dry vegetation, paper, textiles, and food discards show preference for the odd-numbered alkanes, while the opposite is true for plastic bottles, plastic bags, and rubber. As phthalates are used as plasticizers, their highest EFs were found for plastic bottles and bags, rubber, and combined materials. Data from this study will be useful for health and climate impact assessments, speciated emission inventories, source-oriented dispersion models, and receptor-based source apportionment.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Chemically speciated air pollutant emissions from open burning of household solid waste from South Africa ; volume:23 ; number:24 ; year:2023 ; pages:15375-15393 ; extent:19 ; Atmospheric chemistry and physics ; 23, Heft 24 (2023), 15375-15393 (gesamt 19)

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Soziale Probleme, Sozialdienste, Versicherungen

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Wang, Xiaoliang ; Firouzkouhi, Hatef ; Chow, Judith C. ; Watson, John G. ; Ho, Steven Sai Hang ; Carter, Warren ; De Vos, Alexandra S. M.

Further information

• DOI: 10.5194/acp-23-15375-2023
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2023122103285173826414
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:21 AM CEST