Airborne hydrogen cyanide measurements using a chemical ionisation mass spectrometer for the plume identification of biomass burning forest fires

M. Le Breton; A. Bacak; J. B. A. Muller; S. J. O'Shea; P. Xiao; M. N. R. Ashfold; M. C. Cooke; R. Batt; D. E. Shallcross; D. E. Oram; G. Forster; S. J. -B. Bauguitte; C. J. Percival

doi:10.5194/acp-13-9217-2013

Airborne hydrogen cyanide measurements using a chemical ionisation mass spectrometer for the plume identification of biomass burning forest fires

M. Le Breton, A. Bacak, J. B. A. Muller, S. J. O'Shea, P. Xiao, M. N. R. Ashfold, M. C. Cooke, R. Batt, D. E. Shallcross, D. E. Oram, G. Forster, S. J. -B. Bauguitte, C. J. Percival^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

A chemical ionisation mass spectrometer (CIMS) was developed for measuring hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from biomass burning events in Canada using I- reagent ions on board the FAAM BAe-146 research aircraft during the BORTAS campaign in 2011. The ionisation scheme enabled highly sensitive measurements at 1 Hz frequency through biomass burning plumes in the troposphere.

A strong correlation between the HCN, carbon monoxide (CO) and acetonitrile (CH3CN) was observed, indicating the potential of HCN as a biomass burning (BB) marker. A plume was defined as being 6 standard deviations above background for the flights. This method was compared with a number of alternative plume-defining techniques employing CO and CH3CN measurements. The 6-sigma technique produced the highest R-2 values for correlations with CO. A normalised excess mixing ratio (NEMR) of 3.68 +/- 0.149 pptv ppbv(-1) was calculated, which is within the range quoted in previous research (Hornbrook et al., 2011). The global tropospheric model STOCHEM-CRI incorporated both the observed ratio and extreme ratios derived from other studies to generate global emission totals of HCN via biomass burning. Using the ratio derived from this work, the emission total for HCN from BB was 0.92 Tg (N) yr(-1).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	9217-9232
Number of pages	16
Journal	Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Volume	13
Issue number	18
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9217-2013
Publication status	Published - 16 Sept 2013

Keywords

TRANSFORM INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY
INTERMEDIATES CRI MECHANISM
VOLATILE ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS
TRACE GAS EMISSIONS
FREE TROPOSPHERIC CO
CARBON-MONOXIDE
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
SEASONAL-VARIATIONS
LOWER STRATOSPHERE
LAGRANGIAN MODEL

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Gas phase studies of the kinetics of Criegee Intermediates
Shallcross, D. E. (Principal Investigator) & Orr-Ewing, A. J. (Co-Principal Investigator)
30/06/13 → 31/12/16
Project: Research
Isoprene oxidation and OH recycling
Shallcross, D. E. (Principal Investigator)
1/10/12 → 1/10/15
Project: Research
Laboratory studies of Criegee radical reactions
Shallcross, D. E. (Principal Investigator)
14/03/11 → 14/03/14
Project: Research

Cite this

Le Breton, M., Bacak, A., Muller, J. B. A., O'Shea, S. J., Xiao, P., Ashfold, M. N. R., Cooke, M. C., Batt, R., Shallcross, D. E., Oram, D. E., Forster, G., Bauguitte, S. J. .-B., & Percival, C. J. (2013). Airborne hydrogen cyanide measurements using a chemical ionisation mass spectrometer for the plume identification of biomass burning forest fires. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 13(18), 9217-9232. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9217-2013

@article{a2ba4bf3d15c401ebf3d5404a5e38457,

title = "Airborne hydrogen cyanide measurements using a chemical ionisation mass spectrometer for the plume identification of biomass burning forest fires",

abstract = "A chemical ionisation mass spectrometer (CIMS) was developed for measuring hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from biomass burning events in Canada using I- reagent ions on board the FAAM BAe-146 research aircraft during the BORTAS campaign in 2011. The ionisation scheme enabled highly sensitive measurements at 1 Hz frequency through biomass burning plumes in the troposphere.A strong correlation between the HCN, carbon monoxide (CO) and acetonitrile (CH3CN) was observed, indicating the potential of HCN as a biomass burning (BB) marker. A plume was defined as being 6 standard deviations above background for the flights. This method was compared with a number of alternative plume-defining techniques employing CO and CH3CN measurements. The 6-sigma technique produced the highest R-2 values for correlations with CO. A normalised excess mixing ratio (NEMR) of 3.68 +/- 0.149 pptv ppbv(-1) was calculated, which is within the range quoted in previous research (Hornbrook et al., 2011). The global tropospheric model STOCHEM-CRI incorporated both the observed ratio and extreme ratios derived from other studies to generate global emission totals of HCN via biomass burning. Using the ratio derived from this work, the emission total for HCN from BB was 0.92 Tg (N) yr(-1).",

keywords = "TRANSFORM INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY, INTERMEDIATES CRI MECHANISM, VOLATILE ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS, TRACE GAS EMISSIONS, FREE TROPOSPHERIC CO, CARBON-MONOXIDE, ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY, SEASONAL-VARIATIONS, LOWER STRATOSPHERE, LAGRANGIAN MODEL",

author = "{Le Breton}, M. and A. Bacak and Muller, {J. B. A.} and O'Shea, {S. J.} and P. Xiao and Ashfold, {M. N. R.} and Cooke, {M. C.} and R. Batt and Shallcross, {D. E.} and Oram, {D. E.} and G. Forster and Bauguitte, {S. J. -B.} and Percival, {C. J.}",

year = "2013",

month = sep,

day = "16",

doi = "10.5194/acp-13-9217-2013",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

pages = "9217--9232",

journal = "Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics",

issn = "1680-7316",

publisher = "Copernicus GmbH",

number = "18",

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Le Breton, M, Bacak, A, Muller, JBA, O'Shea, SJ, Xiao, P, Ashfold, MNR, Cooke, MC, Batt, R, Shallcross, DE, Oram, DE, Forster, G, Bauguitte, SJ-B & Percival, CJ 2013, 'Airborne hydrogen cyanide measurements using a chemical ionisation mass spectrometer for the plume identification of biomass burning forest fires', Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, vol. 13, no. 18, pp. 9217-9232. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9217-2013

TY - JOUR

T1 - Airborne hydrogen cyanide measurements using a chemical ionisation mass spectrometer for the plume identification of biomass burning forest fires

AU - Le Breton, M.

AU - Bacak, A.

AU - Muller, J. B. A.

AU - O'Shea, S. J.

AU - Xiao, P.

AU - Ashfold, M. N. R.

AU - Cooke, M. C.

AU - Batt, R.

AU - Shallcross, D. E.

AU - Oram, D. E.

AU - Forster, G.

AU - Bauguitte, S. J. -B.

AU - Percival, C. J.

PY - 2013/9/16

Y1 - 2013/9/16

N2 - A chemical ionisation mass spectrometer (CIMS) was developed for measuring hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from biomass burning events in Canada using I- reagent ions on board the FAAM BAe-146 research aircraft during the BORTAS campaign in 2011. The ionisation scheme enabled highly sensitive measurements at 1 Hz frequency through biomass burning plumes in the troposphere.A strong correlation between the HCN, carbon monoxide (CO) and acetonitrile (CH3CN) was observed, indicating the potential of HCN as a biomass burning (BB) marker. A plume was defined as being 6 standard deviations above background for the flights. This method was compared with a number of alternative plume-defining techniques employing CO and CH3CN measurements. The 6-sigma technique produced the highest R-2 values for correlations with CO. A normalised excess mixing ratio (NEMR) of 3.68 +/- 0.149 pptv ppbv(-1) was calculated, which is within the range quoted in previous research (Hornbrook et al., 2011). The global tropospheric model STOCHEM-CRI incorporated both the observed ratio and extreme ratios derived from other studies to generate global emission totals of HCN via biomass burning. Using the ratio derived from this work, the emission total for HCN from BB was 0.92 Tg (N) yr(-1).

AB - A chemical ionisation mass spectrometer (CIMS) was developed for measuring hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from biomass burning events in Canada using I- reagent ions on board the FAAM BAe-146 research aircraft during the BORTAS campaign in 2011. The ionisation scheme enabled highly sensitive measurements at 1 Hz frequency through biomass burning plumes in the troposphere.A strong correlation between the HCN, carbon monoxide (CO) and acetonitrile (CH3CN) was observed, indicating the potential of HCN as a biomass burning (BB) marker. A plume was defined as being 6 standard deviations above background for the flights. This method was compared with a number of alternative plume-defining techniques employing CO and CH3CN measurements. The 6-sigma technique produced the highest R-2 values for correlations with CO. A normalised excess mixing ratio (NEMR) of 3.68 +/- 0.149 pptv ppbv(-1) was calculated, which is within the range quoted in previous research (Hornbrook et al., 2011). The global tropospheric model STOCHEM-CRI incorporated both the observed ratio and extreme ratios derived from other studies to generate global emission totals of HCN via biomass burning. Using the ratio derived from this work, the emission total for HCN from BB was 0.92 Tg (N) yr(-1).

KW - TRANSFORM INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY

KW - INTERMEDIATES CRI MECHANISM

KW - VOLATILE ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS

KW - TRACE GAS EMISSIONS

KW - FREE TROPOSPHERIC CO

KW - CARBON-MONOXIDE

KW - ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY

KW - SEASONAL-VARIATIONS

KW - LOWER STRATOSPHERE

KW - LAGRANGIAN MODEL

U2 - 10.5194/acp-13-9217-2013

DO - 10.5194/acp-13-9217-2013

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

SN - 1680-7316

VL - 13

SP - 9217

EP - 9232

JO - Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

JF - Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

IS - 18

ER -

Airborne hydrogen cyanide measurements using a chemical ionisation mass spectrometer for the plume identification of biomass burning forest fires

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Keywords

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Projects

Gas phase studies of the kinetics of Criegee Intermediates

Isoprene oxidation and OH recycling

Laboratory studies of Criegee radical reactions

Cite this