Wood-burning device changeout: Modeling the impact on PMconcentrations in a remote subarctic urban nonattainment area

Abstract

The effects of exchanging noncertified with certified wood-burning devices on the 24h-average PMconcentrations in the nonattainment area of Fairbanks, Alaska, in a cold season (October to March) were investigated using the Weather Research and Forecasting model inline coupled with a chemistry package. Even changing out only 2930 uncertified woodstoves and 90 outdoor wood boilers reduced the 24 h-average PMconcentrations on average by 0.6 g.m-3 (6%) and avoided seven out of 55 simulated exceedance days during this half-a-year. The highest reductions on any exceedance day ranged between 1.7 and 2.8 g.m-3. The relative response factors obtained were consistently relatively low (0.95) for all PMspecies and all months. Sensitivity studies suggest that the assessment of the benefits of a wood-burning device changeout program in avoiding exceedances heavily relies on the accuracy of the estimates on how many wood-burning devices exist that can be exchanged. © 2012 Huy N. Q. Tran and Nicole Mölders.