Source Identification of VOCs in a Petrochemical Complex by Applying Open-Path Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry

Abstract

The petrochemical complex examined in this work includes a great variety of facilities and factories that emit various odorants. A stationary open-path Fourier transform infrared (OPFTIR) system can be used for routine VOC and odor monitoring. However, when odor episodes occur, only multiple mobile OPFTIR systems are able to identify the odorant sources effectively and efficiently. In this study, N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) was found to be the most commonly detected odorant emitted from the investigated petrochemical complex by routine monitoring of a stationary OPFTIR system. Then the sequential deployments of a pair of mobile OPFTIR systems were carried out both upwind and downwind of the different sections of the focal area. The pollution rose plots derived from the data obtained by the pair of mobile OPFTIR systems identified the DMF sources. By conducting correlation analyses on the data obtained from the mobile OPFTIR situated at the downwind location of the DMF emission sources, we found that besides DMF, the dry PU synthetic leather process of plant B was also the major odorant source of 2-butanone, ethyl acetate and isopropanol. The source identification measure developed in this study can be used to clarify possible odorant sources not only for petrochemical industrial complexes but also for other areas associated with various emission sources.

Unexplored volatile organic compound emitted from petrochemical facilities: implications for ozone production and atmospheric chemistry

“…The VOC sensitivities did not show any significant change during the calibrations performed, as the instrumental operating conditions remained constant, which is in agreement to several previous studies (de Gouw and Warneke, 2007). Table S1 of the Supplement lists the sensitivity factors for methanol, acetaldehyde, benzene, and toluene and their estimated limit of detection (LOD), which is calculated as the 2σ value while measuring VOC-free zero air at 1 Hz resolution (Sarkar et al, 2016).…”

“…Figure S5 represents example correlation plots between these VOCs during 28 Octo-ber afternoon flight. Many of these VOCs are emitted during high-temperature production processes, such as the thermal cracking of ethylene and the production of polypropylene in the petrochemical industries (Cetin et al, 2003;Chen et al, 2014;Mo et al, 2015). The Daesan petrochemical facility is a major manufacturer of heat-resistant polypropylene in South Korea, and therefore, ketene could potentially be produced during these high-temperature production processes.…”

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

“…It should be noted that the isoprene has the highest K OH coefficient, and which accounted for about 25% of the total L OH of the alkenes. It is well known that isoprene is the most abundant plant source of VOCs emissions, and plant emissions also contribute to the pollution of VOCs (Chen et al, 2014). The oxidation reaction with OH radicals is the most essential way to reduce emissions for most VOCs (Parrish et al, 2007;Alvim et al, 2018).…”

Mass Concentration, Source and Health Risk Assessment of Volatile Organic Compounds in Nine Cities of Northeast China

“…Fossil fuel combustion of industrial activities had always been considered the major source of VOCs [10,11]. Lots of investigations have been undertaken for VOCs emissions from vehicle [12,13], coal-fired [14,15], biomass burning [16,17], solvent [17][18][19], petrochemical [20,21] and refinery [22,23].…”