Abstract. Improving the accuracy of the anthropogenic volatile
organic compound (VOC) emission inventory is essential for reducing air
pollution. In this study, we established an emission inventory of
anthropogenic VOCs in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region of China for 2015
based on the emission factor (EF) method. Online ambient VOC
observations were conducted in one urban area of Beijing in January, April,
July, and October, which, respectively, represented winter, spring, summer,
and autumn in 2015. Furthermore, the developed emission inventory was
evaluated by a comprehensive verification system based on the measurements
and satellite retrieval results. Firstly, emissions of the individual
species of the emission inventory were evaluated according to the ambient
measurements and emission ratios versus carbon monoxide (CO). Secondly, the
source structure of the emission inventory was evaluated using source
appointment with the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model. Thirdly, the
spatial and temporal distribution of the developed emission inventory was
evaluated by a satellite-derived emission inventory. According to the
results of the emission inventory, the total anthropogenic VOC emissions in
the BTH region were 3277.66 Gg in 2015. Online measurements showed that the
average mixing ratio of VOCs in Beijing was approximately 49.94 ppbv in 2015,
ranging from 10.67 to 245.54 ppbv. The annual emissions for 51 of
56 kinds of non-methane hydrocarbon species derived from the measurements
agreed within ±100 % with the results of the emission
inventory. Based on the PMF results and the emission inventory, it is
evident that vehicle-related emissions dominate the composition of
anthropogenic VOCs in Beijing. The spatial correlation between the emission
inventory and satellite inversion result was significant (p<0.01)
with a correlation coefficient of 0.75. However, there were discrepancies
between the relative contributions of fuel combustion, emissions of
oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs), and halocarbons from the measurements and
inventory. To obtain a more accurate emission inventory, we propose the
investigation of the household coal consumption, the adjustment of EFs based
on the latest pollution control policies, and the verification of the source
profiles of OVOCs and halocarbons.
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