Mass concentration and size distribution of particles released from harvesting and biomass burning of sugarcane

Abstract

Abstract We evaluated size distribution and mass concentrations of fine (particulate matter < 2.5 μm, PM2.5) and coarse (particulate matter = 2.5–10 μm, PM2.5‐10) 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 PM2.5 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 PM2.5. Average particle density of PM2.5 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 PM2.5 but higher PM2.5‐10 as compared to SB and GB. Overall, biomass burning, regardless GB and SB difference, released significantly higher PM2.5 than harvest‐cutting operations.