First Atmospheric Measurements and Emission Estimates of HFO-1336mzz(Z)

Abstract

For the past few years, short-lived unsaturated halocarbons have been marketed as environmentally friendly replacements for long-lived halogenated greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances. The phase-in of unsaturated halocarbons for various applications, such as refrigeration and foam blowing, can be tracked by their emergence and increase in the atmosphere. We present the first atmospheric measurements of the hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) HFO-1336mzz(Z) ((Z)-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluoro-2-butene, cis-CF3CHCHCF3), a newly used unsaturated hydrofluorocarbon. HFO-1336mzz(Z) has been detected in >90% of all measurements since 2018 during multi-month campaigns at three Swiss and one Dutch location. Since 2019, it is found in ∼30% of all measurements that run continuously at the Swiss high-altitude Jungfraujoch station. During pollution events, mole fractions of up to ∼10 ppt were observed. Based on our measurements, Swiss and Dutch emissions were estimated at 2–7 Mg yr–1 (2019–2021) and 30 Mg yr–1 (2022), respectively. Modeled spatial emission distributions only partly conform to population density in both countries. Monitoring the presence of new unsaturated halocarbons in the atmosphere is crucial since long-term effects of their degradation products are still debated. Furthermore, the production of HFOs involves climate-active substances, which may leak to the atmospherein the case of HFO-1336mzz(Z), for example, the ozone-depleting CFC-113a (CF3CCl3).