High temporal resolution measurements were deployed during wintertime in Athens to track and identify a number of different biomass burning tracers.
Biomass burning tracers such as non sea salt potassium (nss-K+), black carbon (BCwb), the organic fraction m/z 60 and levoglucosan were monitored.
The enhanced levels of chloride (Cl−) could provide evidence of combustion of inappropriate materials being used as fuel.
Sodium (Na+) was also shown to be an alternative combustion tracer.
The significant correlation between PM2.5 and levoglucosan, indicated that wood burning could be responsible for PM2.5 higher than 45 μg m−3.