Aldehyde from biomass burning

Table 7.1 summarizes the quantitative estimates of biomass burning in the tropics. We estimate that a total of 2700-6800 Tg of C are annually exposed to fires, of which 1800-4700 Tg of C are biuned. The average chemical composition of dry plant biomass corresponds closely to the formula CH2O. The nutrient element content varies with seasonal growth conditions on a mass basis it is relatively low about 0.3-3.8 % N, 0.1-B.9 % S, 0.01-0.3 % P, and 0.5-3.4 % K [25]. Consequently, although the emissions from biomass combustion are dominated by CO2, many products of incomplete combustion that play important roles in atmospheric chemistry and climate are emitted as well, for example, CO, H2, CH4, other hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and organic acids, and compounds... 

Compounds assigned to the wood and biomass combustion category include terpenes and oxygenated pyrolysis products such as aldehydes, alcohols, and ketones [104, 105]. Although simple aromatics have been reported in the literature from residential wood burning, our samples were collected during summer when biomass combustion was minimal. It is more likely that detected aromatic products originate from petroleum residuals. 

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