In recent years, rice straw open burning (RSOB) activity has commonly occurred after the harvest in the countryside of Hanoi. This activity has caused negative impacts on air quality, especially it emits a large amount of black carbon (BC), a short lived climate pollutant (SLCP). As the other SLCPs , BC directly affects human health and ecosystem. This paper presents the results of measured BC concentrations in RSOB season in Lai Yen commune, Hoai Duc district in Hanoi. | VNU Journal of Science: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 32, No. 1S (2016) 53-58 Assessment of Black Carbon Concentration in Rice Straw Open Burning Season in Lai Yen Commune, Hanoi Suburban Area Hoang Xuan Co1,*, Dinh Manh Cuong1, Nguyen Thu Hang1, Le Thi Hoang Yen1, Hoang Anh Le1, Hoang Thi Thom2, Ngo Dang Tri3 3* 1 2 Faculty of Environment Sciences, VNU University of Science, 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi Vietnam National Center for Hydro Meteorological Service, Northern Hydro-Meteorological Station, 62 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Lang Thuong, Dong Da, Hanoi 3 Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi Received 17 May 2016 Revised 15 August 2016; Accepted 06 September 2016 Abstract: In recent years, rice straw open burning (RSOB) activity has commonly occurred after the harvest in the countryside of Hanoi. This activity has caused negative impacts on air quality, especially it emits a large amount of black carbon (BC), a short lived climate pollutant (SLCP). As the other SLCPs, BC directly affects human health and ecosystem. This paper presents the results of measured BC concentrations in RSOB season in Lai Yen commune, Hoai Duc district in Hanoi. The results showed that the hourly average BC concentrations in three monitoring periods were ± µg/m3 (23 - 25 Oct. 2015), ± µg/m3 (26 - 28 Feb. 2016) and ± µg/m3 (15 - 19 Jun. 2016), respectively. The lowest BC concentration was while the highest nearly reached . BC concentration in this study is higher than that of Lang air quality-monitoring station. This result is useful for national policy makers and managers for tighter control of RSOB activities. Keywords: Black carbon, rice straw open burning. 1. Introduction * BC is a short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP), only exist in the atmosphere from few days to a week, but BC contributes to atmospheric warming, surface dimming, the formation of .
