Removal efficiencies of emissions of volatile organic compounds by adsorption systems installed in small-scale auto-repair painting operations

Abstract

Total hydrocarbon (THC), including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is emitted during the operations of an auto-repair painting workshop. VOCs are especially hazardous pollutants because of their impacts on ozone formation and human health. To reduce the THC generated from small auto-repair painting shops, the Korean government conducts a support program to enable them to shift from an old to a new adsorption system. Although lab-scale evaluations of the pollutant reduction efficiencies of some adsorption devices have been carried out, actual field evaluations are lacking. In this study, three auto-repair shops (one with an old and two with new air pollutant adsorption systems) in Seoul were selected to evaluate their removal efficiencies with respect to THC and VOCs during painting and drying operations. Results show that the THC removal efficiencies were − 41.3–35.4% and 17.2 − 59.2% for the old and new adsorption systems, respectively. The removal efficiencies of the top five VOC species such as butyl acetate, toluene, 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, m,p-xylene, and ethylbenzene were positive (+) and negative (−) for the new and old adsorption systems, respectively. These results provide a theoretical basis that endorses the government support policy for the removal of air pollutants from the emissions of small businesses that are not well managed, such as auto-repair painting, printing, and dry cleaning.