Substantial traffic emissions contribution to the global H₂S budget

Abstract

[1] One year of hydrogen sulfide measurements in an urban traffic site were used to assess the importance of traffic in the overall high ambient air burden of H 2 S (mean annual concentration of 8 mg/m3). During calm nighttime hours, hourly values of H 2 S were correlated positively with those of CO (R 2 = 0.75) and SO 2 (R 2 = 0.70), suggesting a common source from traffic. For the driving conditions of the measurement site, H 2 S automotive emissions are around 24% w/w those of SO 2 , while European inventories calculate these at only 2.5%. H 2 S annual traffic emissions, based on the existing emission inventories for CO and SO 2 are calculated at 0.199 -0.311 Â 10 À3 Tg a À1 for Thessaloniki and are extrapolated to 0.030 -0.0485 Tg a À1 for the EU15 countries and 2.6 Tg a À1 for Europe and Eurasia. It appears that traffic emissions make up a significant contribution to the global H 2 S budget.

Measurements of hydrogen sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S) using PTR-MS: calibration, humidity dependence, inter-comparison and results from field studies in an oil and gas production region

“…Assuming similar emissions in 2013, we estimate the total emissions of H 2 S in the Uintah basin to be 6.1 ± 1.7 kg h −1 , or (5.3 ± 1.5) × 10 −5 Tg a −1 . The total source of H 2 S to the atmosphere is highly uncertain (Kourtidis et al, 2004;Watts, 2000). One study estimates the global anthropogenic source as 3.3 Tg a −1 and the total source as 7.7 Tg a −1 (Möller, 1984;Watts, 2000).…”

Results of Three Years of Ambient Air Monitoring Near a Petroleum Refinery in Richmond, California, USA

“…Average annual concentrations of H 2 S and NH 3 at the community monitors ranged between 1.1 and 1.6 and 2.6 and 6.3 ppb, respectively. Both species demonstrated significant temporal variability, with higher weekday compared to weekend concentrations and bimodal diurnal trends with a morning peak (potentially associated with the morning traffic rush hour period [53,54]) and a nighttime peak (likely attributable to stable atmospheric conditions and lower mixing height), as shown in Figure S9.…”

Hydrogen sulfide measurements in air by passive/diffusive samplers and high-frequency analyzer: A critical comparison

“…The latter includes sewage treatment plants, concentrated animal feeding operations, oil and gas refineries, geothermal power plants, paper mills and vehicular traffic (e.g. Kourtidis et al, 2004Kourtidis et al, , 2008Colomer et al, 2012). Natural H 2 S sources are thermal and cold sulfur-rich springs, wetlands, manure, coal pits, and gas and oil reservoirs (e.g.…”

“…collecting air samples by a pump set at a specific flow rate) measurements of various air pollutants at high temporal frequency, such as CO 2 , H 2 S, SO 2 , NO x and O 3 (e.g. Carapezza et al, 1984;Badalamenti et al, 2001;Kourtidis et al, 2004;Peralta et al, 2013;Olafsdottir et al, 2014). Nevertheless, this approach is generally expensive and requires frequent instrument calibration and an in situ power source available.…”