Global chlorine emissions from biomass burning: Reactive Chlorine Emissions Inventory

Abstract

Emissions of reactive chlorine‐containing compounds from nine discrete classes of biomass burning were estimated on a 1° latitude by 1° longitude grid based on a biomass burning inventory for carbon emissions. Variations on approaches incorporating both emission ratios relative to CO and CO 2 and the chlorine content of biomass burning fuels were used to estimate fluxes and associated uncertainties. Estimated, global emissions are 640 Gg Cl yr −1 for CH 3 Cl; 49 Gg Cl yr −1 for CH 2 Cl 2 ; 1.8 Gg Cl yr −1 for CHCl 3 ; 13 Gg Cl yr −1 for CH 3 CCl 3 ; and 6350 Gg Cl yr −1 for the sum of volatile‐inorganic and particulate chlorine. Biomass burning appears to be the single largest source of atmospheric CH 3 Cl and a significant source of CH 2 Cl 2 ; contributions of CHCl 3 and CH 3 CCl 3 are less than 2% of known sources.