Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds and Particulate Matter Levels in an Urban Area From Romania

Abstract

As air quality becomes increasingly deteriorated in world-wide cities, air quality monitoring has extended beyond the criteria pollutants (CO, SO 2 , NO x , O 3 and PM) in order to include several toxic air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In the present study it was investigated the presence of 29 VOCs and PM including PM 2.5 , PM 2.5-10 and PM >10 fractions, in an urban area from Romania. The total VOCs was higher in the urban area (176.72 -192.54 µg/m 3 ) than in the rural area (131.58 µg/m 3 ). The dominant VOCs from the rural area were terpenes (23.0%), esters (21.5%) and aliphatic hydrocarbons (21.1%), while in the urban area the dominant VOCs were aldehydes/ketones (23.5 -30.8%), aliphatic hydrocarbons (25.2 -28.6%) and aromatic hydrocarbons (15.8 -16.8%). The BTEX level ranged between 21.23 -27.15 µg/m 3 . The level of PM total was higher, almost triple, in the urban area (21.2 -320.5 µg/m 3 ) than in the rural area (29.2 -117.3 µg/m 3 ), reflecting the general level of urbanization. In the rural area the fine particles (PM 2.5 ) was the dominating fraction (91%), while in the high traffic urban area, the coarse particles (PM 2.5-10 ) was the dominating fraction (44%).

Residential VOCs concentration levels in Nsukka, Nigeria

“…In Lagos, Nigeria, the TVOC in the metropolitan area is 3 times larger than the urban background levels (Cordell et al, 2021). Our result aligns with the literature (Roba et al, 2014;Strosnider et al, 2017). This is because the urban dwellers are high-income earners, acquiring power generators, a fleet of automobiles and other households, and body care effects that can pollute the air.…”

“…Studies comparing urban and rural residential TVOC levels in Nigeria are not available. However, in Romania, higher ranges of TVOCs are reported in the urban (176-192 μg/m 3 ) than in rural areas (131-139 μg/m 3 ), which was due to the traffic intensity and level of urbanization (Roba et al, 2014). The median TVOC concentration level in the kitchens exceed the EU AQG (200 μg/m 3 ) (Fig.…”

The Seasonality Impact of the BTEX Pollution on the Atmosphere of Arad City, Romania

“…Regarding the data related to volatile organic compound emission in Romania, there are only two articles that have been published detailing the total volatile organic compounds over a medium Romanian city—Mures County—with 32,000 inhabitants (176.72–192.54 μg m −3 ) [ 30 ] and over the Olt River Basin, the principal affluent of the Danube River [ 31 ]. The number of cars in Romania is continuously increasing, from 1.54 million in 1990 to 5.92 million in 2014 [ 32 ], while the Romanian Statistics Institute reported 8.7 million on 31st of December 2019.…”

Statistical assessment and modeling of benzene level in atmosphere in Timiş County, Romania

“…The air pollutants are commonly found in the air at ground level, in all urban and industrial agglomerations, originating from economic and social activities (Roba et al 2014;Rusu-Zagar et al 2014;Iordache and Dunea 2013). Non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), with aromatic structure (benzene, toluene, xylenes, ethylbenzene, commonly called as BTEX compounds), and Editorial responsibility: Mohamed F. Yassin.…”