Burning Grass Releases More Nitrogen Pollution Than Burning Wood

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Joseph Lilek (jlilek@americangeosciences.org)

2/9/2017

 

Where there's smoke, there's fire - but what's in the smoke? A recent air quality study from the University of Colorado Boulder has confirmed earlier laboratory experiments that show that grass and crop fire smoke carries greater amounts of nitrogen-containing volatile organic compounds (NVOCs) than wood fire smoke. Different NVOCs emit unique wavelength "signatures," so when scientists examine smoke plumes using a high-resolution mass spectrometer, they can pinpoint which NVOCs are present. With the spectrometer in tow, study author Matthew Coggon and his team drove in and around Boulder and Aspen, Colo., surveying various smoke plumes and learning more about what's in the smoke. In the February issue of EARTH Magazine, learn how these scientists are using NVOCs to identify different types of smoke and to track fires around the planet. Read the full story in EARTH Magazine: https://www.earthmagazine.org/article/burning-grass-releases-more-nitrog....

 

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Keep up to date with the latest happenings in Earth, energy and environment news with EARTH Magazine online at www.earthmagazine.org. Published by the American Geosciences Institute, EARTH is your source for the science behind the headlines.

 

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