Effects of Siberian wildfires on the chemical composition and acidity of atmospheric aerosols of remote urban, rural and background territories

Extensive forest fires occurred during the summer of 2012 in Siberia. This work presents the influence of long-range atmospheric smoke on the aerosol properties at urban, suburban and background sites, which are located 400-800 km from the fire source. The higher levels of submicron particles (PM1), organic (OC), secondary organic (SOC) and elemental (EC) carbon were observed at all sampling sites, whereas an increase in ionic species HCOO−, K+, NO3−, and Cl− and a decrease in pH was higher at the background and suburban sites in comparison with the urban site. Other natural and anthropogenic factors appear to be more significant for ions Ca2+ + Mg2+, HCO3−, NH4+, SO42− and Na+. The present study indicates that the impact of remote fires on the aerosol characteristics depends on their background (without fires) levels at the sampling sites.