Pollution Characteristics and Key Reactive Species of Volatile Organic Compounds in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Area, China

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important precursors in the formation of ground-level ozone. In this study, the hourly mixing ratios of 61 ambient VOC species were monitored from 2018 till 2019 in 10 cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) area of China, and the VOC distributions, speciation and photochemistry were also examined. The highest mixing ratios were found in the south, viz., Langfang (LF), Baoding (BD), Handan (HD) and Shijiazhuang (SJZ), and the lowest ones, in the north, viz., Chengde (CD) and Zhangjiakou (ZJK). In all of the cities, alkanes were the most abundant VOC component (50%), whereas ethane and propane were the most concentrated species. The mixing ratios of the VOCs exhibited a daily double peak as a result of the varying intensity of the photochemical reactions and the formation of the inversion layer. Additionally, the chemical reactivity of the VOCs was evaluated by calculating the loss rate of OH (L OH) for each species. Our results indicated that the alkenes and aromatics possessed higher L OH values as well as higher ozone formation potential (OFP) and secondary organic aerosol formation potential (SOAp) values than the alkanes. Based on the diagnostic ratios of propane/n-butane, propane/i-butane, cis-2-butane/trans-2-butane, toluene/benzene and xylene/ethylbenzene, motor vehicle emissions contributed significantly to the ambient VOCs in the area.

Comparison of Volatile Organic Compound Concentrations in Ambient Air among Different Source Areas around Khon Kaen, Thailand

“…Our study is consistent with other studies [24,26] that detected benzene in ambient air in urban, industrial, and residential areas [32]. Some VOCs can directly affect human health (e.g., benzene), while others contribute to the formation of ozone and aerosol particles in the atmosphere [44]. For example, benzene is a known carcinogen, and exposure to high ambient concentrations represents a considerable health risk [45].…”

Research progresses on VOCs emission investigationsviasurface and satellite observations in China

“…a 22, 81 and 82.b 17, 28, 68, 72, 76 and 83–89.c 7.d 2, 4, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 29–31, 35, 48, 49, 58, 70, 73, 75 and 90–109.e 71 and 109–111.f 1, 14, 15, 22, 30, 31, 35, 37, 65, 93, 95, 107, 112–115 and 115–118.g 35.h 17, 37, 74, 116 and 119–121.i 122 and 123.j 13, 20, 23, 32–34, 51, 57, 94, 123–127, 127–129 and 129–134.k 123.l 26 and 135–137.m 23, 25, 26, 119…”

Emission of Volatile Organic Compounds from Consumer Products

“…Therefore, the exposure of humans to toxins in an indoor environment is of concern. Most studies determine the VOC emissions from industrial processes and facilities (Chen et al, 2020;Lu et al, 2020;Li et al, 2021) and their effect on ambient air quality (Gao et al, 2020;Guan et al, 2020;Wang et al, 2020;Wu et al, 2021) and the increase in risk to human health but consumer products that are used indoors have a more direct effect on the human inhalation (Even et al, 2020;Moxon et al, 2020;Palmisani et al, 2020). Consumer products contain biogenic VOCs and their emission can be the precursor to the emission of ozone and secondary organic aerosols (Martinsson et al, 2020;Ahn et al, 2021).…”