Emissions of trace gases (CO₂, CO, CH₄, and N₂O) resulting from rice straw burning

Abstract

Abstract Emissions of trace gases (CO2, CO, CH4, N2O) resulting from rice straw burning were measured by using the open chamber method. The carbon contained in rice straw was mainly released to the atmosphere as CO2. The percentage of CO2-C emitted in total C in rice straw was in the range of 57–81%, followed by CO-C (5–9%). The percentages of CH4-C and N2O-N in total C and N in rice straw were in the range of 0.43–0.90 and 1.16–1.50%, respectively. In the case of the rice straw which had been left in the field for a period of one month after harvest, emission of imperfect combustible gases such as CO and CH4 during burning increased slightly, while that of perfect combustible gas, CO2, was reduced. The amount of CH4 emission from rice straw burning was comparable to that from paddy fields.