Comparative Chemistry and Toxicity of Combustion Emissions from Biomass and Synthetic Materials.

oral presentation based off of multiple abstracts already cleared on this topic describing the chemistry and toxicology of combustion emissions from various sources.  Conceptual Approach.  Compare the relative cardiopulmonary toxicity and mutagenicity of smoke either from ambient wildfire or prescribed burns to laboratory combustion of various fuels and conditions.

Impact/Purpose

Downwind wildland fire smoke PM is more toxic than upwind samples or that of prescribed grass burns The combustion system and associated methods provide stable and reproducible smoke atmospheres that can be used for emission testing and toxicity assays. Fuel composition and combustion conditions influence the chemistry, toxicity and mutagenicity of biomass smoke with peat and eucalyptus smoke being more potent (on a PM mass basis) than e.g. oak. Biomass smoke inhalation has significant effects on lung injury and inflammation, and decreases breathing frequency and heart rate, while increasing blood pressure and risk of cardiac disease. Depending on the fuel type, filtration can partially but not completely abrogate pulmonary effects. 

Citation

Gilmour, Matthew. Comparative Chemistry and Toxicity of Combustion Emissions from Biomass and Synthetic Materials. International Workshop on Emissions Atmospheric Processing and Health Effects of Wildland Fires, Las vegas, NV, March 20 - 21, 2024.