Increased atmospheric PM 2 .5 events due to open waste burning in Qaanaaq, Greenland, summer of 2022

• Published in: Atmospheric Science Letters
• Main Authors: Yasunari, Teppei J., Kajikawa, Tomoki, Matsumi, Yutaka, Kim, Kyu‐Myong
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2024
• Subjects: Arctic; Baffin Bay; Greenland; Merra; Qaanaaq; Baffin; Human health
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/asl.1231; https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/asl.1231

Abstract High levels of particulate matter (PM) are relevant to severe air pollution and can adversely impact human health. Maintaining healthy air quality for the residents of the Arctic region is essential to satisfy the no‐one‐left‐behind policy of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations. In this study, we installed a PM 2.5 measurement system in Qaanaaq, Greenland, and obtained the first continuous PM 2.5 measurements from July 20, 2022 to August 13, 2022. We observed several increased PM 2.5 events; relatively high PM 2.5 levels persisted from August 8, 2022. On the same day, visible black smoke emitted from the Qaanaaq dump site originated from open waste burning. By confirming less transboundary air pollution contributions from remote aerosol source regions to Qaanaaq during the measurement period using NOAA's HYSPLIT backward trajectory analysis and NASA's MERRA‐2 aerosol re‐analysis, we confirmed that the increased PM 2.5 was primarily due to local open waste burning with less contributions from transboundary air pollution. However, small contributions from biomass burning outside Greenland were plausible during the early measurement period. Additionally, NOAA's HYSPLIT dispersion calculations suggested possible aerosol depositions from local open waste burning to nearby sea areas, such as Baffin Bay. Although the hourly mean PM 2.5 mass concentration was not alarmingly high during the measurement period, future studies should incorporate longer‐term continuous PM 2.5 measurements along with other atmospheric chemical analyses to identify possible local air pollution sources in detail to ensure clean ambient air for the future in the Arctic. Our study provides quantitative evidence of the impact of open waste burning on air quality at a study site in Greenland, which could be crucial in developing air quality policies for this region in the Arctic.