Retrieval of tropospheric HCHO in El Salvador using ground based DOAS

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is the most abundant carbonyl in the atmosphere, being an intermediate product in the oxidation of most volatile organic compounds (VOCs). HCHO is carcinogenic, and highly water soluble [1]. HCHO can originate from biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion and has been observed from satellite and ground-based sensors by using the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) technique [2].DOAS products can be used for air quality monitoring, validation of chemical transport models, validation of satellite tropospheric column density retrievals, among others [3]. In this study, we report on column density levels of HCHO measured by ground based Multi-Axis -DOAS in different locations of El Salvador in March, 2015. We have not observed large differences of the HCHO column density values at different viewing directions. This result points out a reasonably polluted and hazy atmosphere in the measuring sites, as reported by other authors [4]. Average values ranging from 1016 to 1017 molecules / cm2 has been obtained. The contribution of vehicular traffic and biomass burning to the column density levels in these sites of El Salvador will be discussed. [1] A. R. Garcia et al., Atmos. Chem. Phys. 6, 4545 (2006) [2] E. Peters et al., Atmos. Chem. Phys. 12, 11179 (2012) [3] T. Vlemmix, et al. Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 941-963, 2015 [4] A. Heckel et al., Atmos. Chem. Phys. 5, (2005)