Black carbon aerosols from crop residue burning: Sources, measurement techniques, challenges and mitigation

Abstract

India produces around 550 MT of agricultural and 150 MT of forest biomass annually (GOI, 2016), with approximately 190 MT of crop residue burned in fields each year. This is mainly due to limited time between crops and the shortage of residue management alternative. Burning releases aerosols, including black carbon (BCA), a major contributor to global warming and air pollution. BCAs, formed from partial combustion of crop residue and fossil fuels, absorb solar radiation and are second only to CO₂ in driving climate change. Though short-lived in the atmosphere, reducing BCA emissions can have immediate environmental and health benefits. This review examines BCA sources, particularly those linked to crop cycles, supported by satellite data- Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro Radiometer (MODIS). This review paper outlines the instruments and methods used in these studies, and highlights sustainable in situ and ex situ solutions to mitigate crop residue biomass burning and its long-term effects.