Exploring Factors Influencing Sources and Distributions of Aromatics in an Arctic Winter Urban Environment

Abstract Aromatic hydrocarbons are hazardous air pollutants with high toxicity, but sources in cold urban Arctic winter environments are poorly understood. Surface observations in Fairbanks, Interior Alaska, during the ALPACA field campaign in winter 2022, recorded very high concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX), reaching 40–100 ppb during pollution episodes. Lagrangian BTEX tracer simulations capture observed variability but underestimate observations during pollution episodes. Inclusion of previously overlooked oil space heating emissions and accounting for enhanced gasoline vehicle emissions at cold temperatures and at higher relative humidities (warmer temperatures) substantially reduce model biases during polluted periods, except in very stable conditions when results are sensitive to vertical mixing. In the improved model, traffic, then oil, and wood space heating are the main emission sectors contributing to simulated BTEX. Near-surface modeled BTEX are largely confined below surface-based temperature inversions (SBIs) and concentrated over downtown and surrounding residential areas. Intermittent upward transport, even under strongly stable conditions, contributes to regional pollution and potentially to background Arctic haze. Replacing residential wood burning with oil heating during pollution episodes reduces near-surface benzene by up to 20%, highlighting synergies with mitigation strategies designed to reduce particulate matter concentrations. The study findings have implications for an improved understanding of sources of toxic aromatic hydrocarbons in other cold urban winter environments.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
ACS ES&T Air
Published
2026-11-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestair.6c00139
Primary Topic
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Exploring Factors Influencing Sources and Distributions of Aromatics in an Arctic Winter Urban Environment

Jingqiu Mao, Stefano Decesari, William Robert Simpson, S. R. Arnold et al.
3 links
ACS ES&T Air
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
article

Exploring Factors Influencing Sources and Distributions of Aromatics in an Arctic Winter Urban Environment

Jingqiu Mao, Stefano Decesari, William Robert Simpson, S. R. Arnold, Roman Pohorsky, Jean‐Christophe Raut, Deanna Huff, Damien Ketcherside, Gianluca Pappaccogli, Tatsuo Onishi, R. J. Yokelson, Slimane Bekki, Joël Savarino, Brice Barret, Brice Temime‐Roussel, Julia Schmale, Natalie Brett, Barbara D’Anna, James R. Campbell, Kathy S. Law, Weihang Zhang, Lu Hu
article en

Abstract

Abstract Aromatic hydrocarbons are hazardous air pollutants with high toxicity, but sources in cold urban Arctic winter environments are poorly understood. Surface observations in Fairbanks, Interior Alaska, during the ALPACA field campaign in winter 2022, recorded very high concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX), reaching 40–100 ppb during pollution episodes. Lagrangian BTEX tracer simulations capture observed variability but underestimate observations during pollution episodes. Inclusion of previously overlooked oil space heating emissions and accounting for enhanced gasoline vehicle emissions at cold temperatures and at higher relative humidities (warmer temperatures) substantially reduce model biases during polluted periods, except in very stable conditions when results are sensitive to vertical mixing. In the improved model, traffic, then oil, and wood space heating are the main emission sectors contributing to simulated BTEX. Near-surface modeled BTEX are largely confined below surface-based temperature inversions (SBIs) and concentrated over downtown and surrounding residential areas. Intermittent upward transport, even under strongly stable conditions, contributes to regional pollution and potentially to background Arctic haze. Replacing residential wood burning with oil heating during pollution episodes reduces near-surface benzene by up to 20%, highlighting synergies with mitigation strategies designed to reduce particulate matter concentrations. The study findings have implications for an improved understanding of sources of toxic aromatic hydrocarbons in other cold urban winter environments.

ACS ES&T Air
Institut polytechnique de Grenoble (FR), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Leeds (GB), University of Alaska Fairbanks (US), University of Salento (IT), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (FR), Aix-Marseille Université (FR), Sorbonne Université (FR), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR), Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (IT), Laboratoire d'Aérologie (FR), Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace (FR), Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (US), Institut des Géosciences de l'Environnement (FR), Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux, observations spatiales (FR), National Research Council (IT), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), Université de Toulouse (FR), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH), University of Montana (US)
Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Institut Polaire Français Paul Emile Victor, International Arctic Science Committee, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Institut national des sciences de l'Univers, Climate Program Office
Climate action, Sustainable cities and communities
Openalex Percentile: Top 25%
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
DOISourceOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Laika access coming soon