Molecular characterization of smoke from campfire burning of pine wood (Pinus elliottii)

Abstract

Although campfires are typically enjoyable events, people are exposed to high concentrations of gaseous and particulate pollutants. The combustion conditions of wood burned in campfires are different from those of indoor wood burning in stoves or fireplaces. Typically, wood logs, twigs, and branches with their leaves or needles are burned in campfires, whereas mostly wood logs are burned in indoor settings. Consequently, the molecular source profiles for organic particulate matter emissions may be different from a campfire. For human exposure assessment, there is a need to fingerprint the organic compound compositions in campfire wood smoke. Here we present the detailed biomarker composition of conifer wood smoke from a campfire. The major biomarkers emitted are dehydroabietic acid, the resin acids (pimaric, iso-pimaric, sandaracopimaric and abietic acids), retene, pimanthrene, methylcyclopentenophenanthrene and β-sitosterol, with levoglucosan and lignin phenolics such as vanillic acid in the polar fraction. PAH are minor components. A marker and PAH profile has been generated which can be utilized for tracing emissions from campfire burning and evaluating personal exposure risk.