Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Emitted from Open Burning and Stove Burning of Biomass: A Brief Review

Hao Zhang, Xuan Zhang, Yan Wang, Pengchu Bai, Kazuichi Hayakawa, Lulu Zhang and Ning Tang
Additional contact information
Hao Zhang: Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-Machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
Xuan Zhang: Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-Machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
Yan Wang: Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-Machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
Pengchu Bai: Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-Machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
Kazuichi Hayakawa: Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-Machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
Lulu Zhang: Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-Machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
Ning Tang: Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-Machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: To mitigate global warming and achieve carbon neutrality, biomass has become a widely used carbon-neutral energy source due to its low cost and easy availability. However, the incomplete combustion of biomass can produce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are harmful to human health. Moreover, increasing numbers of wildfires in many regions caused by global warming have greatly increased the emissions of PAHs from biomass burning. To effectively mitigate PAH pollution and health risks associated with biomass usage, the concentrations, compositions and influencing factors of PAH emissions from biomass burning are summarized in this review. High PAH emissions from open burning and stove burning are found, and two- to four-ring PAHs account for a higher proportion than five- and six-ring PAHs. Based on the mechanism of biomass burning, biomass with higher volatile matter, cellulose, lignin, potassium salts and moisture produces more PAHs. Moreover, burning biomass in stoves at a high temperature or with an insufficient oxygen supply can increase PAH emissions. Therefore, the formation and emission of PAHs can be reduced by pelletizing, briquetting or carbonizing biomass to increase its density and burning efficiency. This review contributes to a comprehensive understanding of PAH pollution from biomass burning, providing prospective insight for preventing air pollution and health hazards associated with carbon neutrality.

Keywords: biomass composition; burning conditions; emission characteristic; formation mechanism; stove design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/7/3944/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/7/3944/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:7:p:3944-:d:779988

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().