Primary and secondary aerosol particles originating from biomass burning contribute significantly to the atmospheric aerosol budget and thereby to both direct and indirect radiative forcing. Based on detailed measurements of a large number of biomass burning plumes of variable age in southern Africa, we show that the size distribution, chemical composition, single-scattering albedo, and hygroscopicity of biomass burning particles change considerably during the first 2-4 h of their atmospheric transport. These changes, driven by atmospheric oxidation and subsequent secondary aerosol formation, may reach a factor of 6 for the aerosol scattering coefficient and a factor >10 for the cloud condensation nuclei concentration. Since the observed changes take place over the spatial and temporal scales that are neither covered by emission inventories nor captured by large-scale model simulations, the findings reported here point out a significant gap in our understanding on the climatic effects of biomass burning aerosols.

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Abstract. Southern Africa is a significant source region of atmospheric pollution, yet long-term data on pollutant concentrations and properties from this region are rather limited. A recently established atmospheric measurement station in South Africa, Welgegund, is strategically situated to capture regional background concentrations, as well as emissions from the major source regions in the interior of South Africa. We measured non-refractive submicron aerosols (NR-PM1) and black carbon over a one year period in Welgegund, and investigated the seasonal and diurnal patterns of aerosol concentration levels, chemical composition, acidity and oxidation level. Based on air mass back trajectories, four distinct source regions were determined for NR-PM1. Supporting data utilised in our analysis included particle number size distributions, aerosol absorption, trace gas concentrations, meteorological variables and the flux of carbon dioxide. The dominant submicron aerosol constituent during the dry season was organic aerosol, reflecting high contribution from savannah fires and other combustion sources. Organic aerosol concentrations were lower during the wet season, presumably due to wet deposition as well as reduced emissions from combustion sources. Sulfate concentrations were usually high and exceeded organic aerosol concentrations when air-masses were transported over regions containing major point sources. Sulfate and nitrate concentrations peaked when air masses passed over the industrial Highveld (iHV) area. In contrast, concentrations were much lower when air masses passed over the cleaner background (BG) areas. Air masses associated with the anti-cyclonic recirculation (ACBIC) source region contained largely aged OA. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis of aerosol mass spectra was used to characterise the organic aerosol (OA) properties. The factors identified were oxidized organic aerosols (OOA) and biomass burning organic aerosols (BBOA) in the dry season and low-volatile (LV-OOA) and semi-volatile (SV-OOA) organic aerosols in the wet season. The results highlight the importance of primary BBOA in the dry season, which represented 33% of the total OA. Aerosol acidity and its potential impact on the evolution of OOA are also discussed.

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Abstract. Aromatic hydrocarbons are associated with direct adverse human health effects and can have negative impacts on ecosystems due to their toxicity, as well as indirect negative effects through the formation of tropospheric ozone and secondary organic aerosol, which affect human health, crop production and regional climate. Measurements of aromatic hydrocarbons were conducted at the Welgegund measurement station (South Africa), which is considered to be a regionally representative background site. However, the site is occasionally impacted by plumes from major anthropogenic source regions in the interior of South Africa, which include the western Bushveld Igneous Complex (e.g. platinum, base metal and ferrochrome smelters), the eastern Bushveld Igneous Complex (platinum and ferrochrome smelters), the Johannesburg-Pretoria metropolitan conurbation (> 10 million people), the Vaal Triangle (e.g. petrochemical and pyrometallurgical industries), the Mpumalanga Highveld (e.g. coal-fired power plants and petrochemical industry) and also a region of anticyclonic recirculation of air mass over the interior of South Africa. The aromatic hydrocarbon measurements were conducted with an automated sampler on Tenax-TA and Carbopack-B adsorbent tubes with heated inlet for 1 year. Samples were collected twice a week for 2 h during daytime and 2 h during night-time. A thermal desorption unit, connected to a gas chromatograph and a mass selective detector was used for sample preparation and analysis. Results indicated that the monthly median (mean) total aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations ranged between 0.01 (0.011) and 3.1 (3.2) ppb. Benzene levels did not exceed the local air quality standard limit, i.e. annual mean of 1.6 ppb. Toluene was the most abundant compound, with an annual median (mean) concentration of 0.63 (0.89) ppb. No statistically significant differences in the concentrations measured during daytime and night-time were found, and no distinct seasonal patterns were observed. Air mass back trajectory analysis indicated that the lack of seasonal cycles could be attributed to patterns determining the origin of the air masses sampled. Aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations were in general significantly higher in air masses that passed over anthropogenically impacted regions. Inter-compound correlations and ratios gave some indications of the possible sources of the different aromatic hydrocarbons in the source regions defined in the paper. The highest contribution of aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations to ozone formation potential was also observed in plumes passing over anthropogenically impacted regions.