This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: With Western wildfires increasing in size, duration and intensity, millions of Americans are now exposed to wildfire smoke each year. In California, 2020 and 2021 were particularly challenging, with a 10-fold increase in fires compared with any time in the state's history.
Northern Nevada is positioned to receive much of the smoke from California wildfires, and Reno residents experienced months of smoke-shrouded skies during this time. Now, a new study gives us a deeper look into the potentially hazardous chemicals lurking in this smoke. The research was published Aug. 8 in the journal Atmospheric Pollution Research.
Led by a team of DRI researchers, the study examines air quality measurements collected during smoke-free days from August–October 2019 and compares them with smoke-affected days in August–October 2020. The research examined particulate matter (PM2.5), organic carbon, elemental carbon, ozone and a wide range of more than 100 toxic compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results showed elevated levels of all pollutants.
PM2.5 exceeded standards on 18 of 50 smoke-affected days, demonstrating substantial exposure relevant to public health concerns. Ozone was found to increase by about 12% on smoky days, and PAHs ranged from 6.3 times higher to 47 times higher. "We wanted to expand our knowledge on the range of toxic compounds present in smoke," said Vera Samburova, atmospheric scientist at DRI and one of the study's lead authors.
"The smoky summers are difficult for everyone in Reno, but they are challenging for sensitive groups, including children, older adults, people with preexisting health conditions, athletes and outdoor workers. With limited monitoring on the contents of smoke, we don't yet have a great understanding of the full range of public health impacts, and this study can help us identify which air pollutants are most important to monitor closely in the future." Examining these compounds is important because many of them are known to be hazardous to human health. Previous research has found a strong association between elevated PM2.5 levels from wildfire smoke and an increase in emergency room visits for asthma in Reno and Sparks hospitals.
On the smokiest days identified in this study, concentrations were 1.1 to 2.8 times higher than the National Air Quality Standard. Wildfire smoke was found to have the most severe effect on the region's air quality from Aug. 19–22, 2020, and Sept. 11–17, 2020, when hundreds of damaging wildfires were burning in California. Wildfire smoke can also contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone as chemical reactions occur between the smoke's volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and free radicals in the presence of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sunlight.
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