Nonmethane Hydrocarbon, Monocarboxylic Acid, and Low Molecular Weight Aldehyde and Ketone Emissions from Vegetation in Central New Mexico

Abstract

Direct emissions of nonmethane hydrocarbons, monocarboxylic acids, and low molecular weight carbonyl compounds were measured from vegetation typical to central New Mexico. These species included quaking aspen, cottonwood, Gambel oak, Douglas fir, Engelmann spruce, Rocky Mountain juniper, pinyon pine, and ponderosa pine. The hydrocarbon emissions from most of the coniferous trees were dominated by α-pinene. In general, α-pinene emissions were 100−10 000 ng g-1 h-1 and displayed the expected temperature dependence. Other identified hydrocarbons included isoprene, camphene, β-pinene, myrcene, Δ3-carene, and d-limonene. The deciduous trees as well as the spruce and fir trees showed isoprene emission rates of 100−100 000 ng g-1 h-1. Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were the most common low molecular weight carbonyl compounds measured. The carbonyl emissions averaged 50−1660 ng g-1 h-1, depending on the compound and the trees species. Unlike the hydrocarbons, the carbonyl emissions displayed little correlation with enclosure temperature. Formic acid emissions averaged 15−920 ng g-1 h-1, and acetic acid emissions averaged 50−1300 ng g-1 h-1. As with the carbonyls, poor correlation was found between the acid emissions and the enclosure temperature. The deciduous trees were found to have average (mass-based) emissions of 98% hydrocarbons, 1% carbonyls, and 1% organic acids. The coniferous trees averaged 80%, 8%, and 12%, respectively.

The Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature version 2.1 (MEGAN2.1): an extended and updated framework for modeling biogenic emissions

“…As an intermediate step, MEGAN2.1 uses a simple approach with the acetaldehyde and ethanol emission factors and algorithms described by Millet et al (2010). Emission factors for formic and acetic acid are based on enclosure measurements reported by Kesselmeier et al (1997), Kreuzwieser et al (1999), Martin et al (1999) and Kesselmeier (2001) which suggest that emissions of these compounds are small, although with a large uncertainty. Sawada and Totsuka (1986) extrapolated enclosure measurements showing widespread ethene production by plants in most landscapes.…”

Biogenic volatile organic compound emissions from desert vegetation of the southwestern US

“…Methanol and acetone emissions from the FACTS1 region were 0.18 and 0.11 g C m À2 yr À1 , respectively, although agricultural and harvesting emissions are not included in this estimate. Martin et al (1999) found that low molecular weight organic acids, aldehydes, and ketones were important emissions from tree species in Central New Mexico. Ambient concentrations of these compounds were in the 0.5-2 ppb range, while isoprene and monoterpene concentrations were below detection limits.…”

Plant physiological and environmental controls over the exchange of acetaldehyde between forest canopies and the atmosphere

“…As recently reviewed by Seco et al (2007), significant quantities of acetaldehyde are emitted by plants to the atmosphere (Janson et al, 1999;Villanueva-Fierro et al, 2004;Hayward et al, 2004;Martin et al, 1999;Schade and Goldstein, 2001). However, the ability of plants to also act as a sink for acetaldehyde has become increasingly clear Rottenberger et al, 2004).…”

“…Confusingly, many studies indicate a lack of stomatal influence on exchange rates. For example, several studies concluded that acetaldehyde emissions were not correlated with any physiological parameters including stomatal conductance (Kesselmeier et al, 1997;Kesselmeier, 2001;Martin et al, 1999). When ethanol was supplied to poplar leaves, promoting production of acetaldehyde in a reaction catalyzed by alcohol dehydrogenase, no correlation could be found between stomatal conductance and acetaldehyde emissions, where variation in conductance was induced either by abscisic acid or by varying light (Kreuzwieser et al, 2001).…”