Biomass burning and the production of methane. Draft report

Technical Report · Wed Jan 22 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:6834605

Levine, J S; Cofer, W R; Pinto, J P

Biomass burning and its environmental implications have also become important research elements of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program and the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry Project. The production of atmospheric methane (CH4) by biomass burning will be assessed. The production of methane and other gaseous and particle carbon species resulting from biomass burning will be outlined. Field measurements and laboratory studies to quantify the emission ratio of methane and other carbon species will be reviewed. The historic database suggests that global biomass burning is increasing with time and is controlled by human activities. Present estimates indicate that biomass burning contributes between about 20 to about 60 Teragrams per year of carbon in the form of methane to the atmosphere. This represents only 5 to 15% of the global annual emissions of methane. Measurements do indicate that biomass burning is the overwhelming source of CH4 in tropical Africa. However, if the rate of global biomass burning increases at the rate that it has been over the last few decades, then the production of methane from biomass burning may become much more important on a global scale in the future.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Lab.
• OSTI ID: 6834605
• Report Number(s): PB-93-119824/XAB; EPA--600/A-92/221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090900 -- Biomass Fuels-- Processing-- (1990-)
092000 -- Biomass Fuels-- Combustion-- (1990-)
095000* -- Biomass Fuels-- Environmental Aspects-- (1990-)
099000 -- Biomass Fuels-- Products & By-Products-- (1990-)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540150 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Site Resources & Use Studies-- (1990-)
AFRICA
AIR POLLUTION
ALKANES
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
BIOMASS
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
ENERGY SOURCES
FORECASTING
GLOBAL ASPECTS
HYDROCARBONS
METHANE
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
PRODUCTION
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES