CARBONACEOUS AEROSOL FROM RESIDENTIAL WOOD COMBUSTION.

Because of rising conventional energy prices wood has made a resurgence as a residential heating fuel. As a result residential wood smoke aerosols are becoming a major component of fine ambient aerosols in many areas. However, the quantification of the impact of residential wood smoke on the ambient aerosol concentration has been difficult because these aerosols are variable in composition and size and have no unique elemental tracers. The purpose of this study is to examine the size distribution and composition of residential wood smoke aerosols which have been sampled from cooled, diluted smoke plumes. Data are presented which show that residential wood stove smoke particles are broadly distributed in the fine aerosol mode and that their composition can vary widely as a function of burn temperature. Studies on both source and ambient aerosols are continuing.