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You B, Zhou W, Li J, Li Z, Sun Y. A review of indoor Gaseous organic compounds and human chemical Exposure: Insights from Real-time measurements. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 170:107611. [PMID: 36335895 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Gaseous organic compounds, mainly volatile organic compounds (VOCs), have become a wide concern in various indoor environments where we spend the majority of our daily time. The sources, compositions, variations, and sinks of indoor VOCs are extremely complex, and their potential impacts on human health are less understood. Owing to the deployment of the state-of-the-art real-time mass spectrometry during the last two decades, our understanding of the sources, dynamic changes and chemical transformations of VOCs indoors has been significantly improved. This review aims to summarize the key findings from mass spectrometry measurements in recent indoor studies including residence, classroom, office, sports center, etc. The sources and sinks, compositions and distributions of indoor VOCs, and the factors (e.g., human activities, air exchange rate, temperature and humidity) driving the changes in indoor VOCs are discussed. The physical and chemical processes of gas-particle partitioning and secondary oxidation processes of VOCs, and their impacts on human health are summarized. Finally, the recommendations for future research directions on indoor VOCs measurements and indoor chemistry are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo You
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Junyao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhijie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yele Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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2
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Wang C, Mattila JM, Farmer DK, Arata C, Goldstein AH, Abbatt JPD. Behavior of Isocyanic Acid and Other Nitrogen-Containing Volatile Organic Compounds in The Indoor Environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:7598-7607. [PMID: 35653434 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c08182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Isocyanic acid (HNCO) and other nitrogen-containing volatile chemicals (organic isocyanates, hydrogen cyanide, nitriles, amines, amides) were measured during the House Observation of Microbial and Environmental Chemistry (HOMEChem) campaign. The indoor HNCO mean mixing ratio was 0.14 ± 0.30 ppb (range 0.012-6.1 ppb), higher than outdoor levels (mean 0.026 ± 0.15 ppb). From the month-long study, cooking and chlorine bleach cleaning are identified as the most important human-related sources of these nitrogen-containing gases. Gas oven cooking emits more isocyanates than stovetop cooking. The emission ratios HNCO/CO (ppb/ppm) during stovetop and oven cooking (mean 0.090 and 0.30) are lower than previously reported values during biomass burning (between 0.76 and 4.6) and cigarette smoking (mean 2.7). Bleach cleaning led to an increase of the HNCO mixing ratio of a factor of 3.5 per liter of cleaning solution used; laboratory studies indicate that isocyanates arise via reaction of nitrogen-containing precursors, such as indoor dust. Partitioned in a temperature-dependent manner to indoor surface reservoirs, HNCO was present at the beginning of HOMEChem, arising from an unidentified source. HNCO levels are higher at the end of the campaign than the beginning, indicative of occupant activities such as cleaning and cooking; however the direct emissions of humans are relatively minor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology and Guangdong Provincial Observation and Research Station for Coastal Atmosphere and Climate of the Greater Bay Area, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - James M Mattila
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Delphine K Farmer
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Caleb Arata
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Allen H Goldstein
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jonathan P D Abbatt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
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Horb EC, Wentworth GR, Makar PA, Liggio J, Hayden K, Boutzis EI, Beausoleil DL, Hazewinkel RO, Mahaffey AC, Sayanda D, Wyatt F, Dubé MG. A decadal synthesis of atmospheric emissions, ambient air quality, and deposition in the oil sands region. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2022; 18:333-360. [PMID: 34676977 PMCID: PMC9299045 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
This review is part of a series synthesizing peer-reviewed literature from the past decade on environmental monitoring in the oil sands region (OSR) of northeastern Alberta. It focuses on atmospheric emissions, air quality, and deposition in and downwind of the OSR. Most published monitoring and research activities were concentrated in the surface-mineable region in the Athabasca OSR. Substantial progress has been made in understanding oil sands (OS)-related emission sources using multiple approaches: airborne measurements, satellite measurements, source emission testing, deterministic modeling, and source apportionment modeling. These approaches generally yield consistent results, indicating OS-related sources are regional contributors to nearly all air pollutants. Most pollutants exhibit enhanced air concentrations within ~20 km of surface-mining activities, with some enhanced >100 km downwind. Some pollutants (e.g., sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides) undergo transformations as they are transported through the atmosphere. Deposition rates of OS-related substances primarily emitted as fugitive dust are enhanced within ~30 km of surface-mining activities, whereas gaseous and fine particulate emissions have a more diffuse deposition enhancement pattern extending hundreds of kilometers downwind. In general, air quality guidelines are not exceeded, although these single-pollutant thresholds are not comprehensive indicators of air quality. Odor events have occurred in communities near OS industrial activities, although it can be difficult to attribute events to specific pollutants or sources. Nitrogen, sulfur, polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), and base cations from OS sources occur in the environment, but explicit and deleterious responses of organisms to these pollutants are not as apparent across all study environments; details of biological monitoring are discussed further in other papers in this special series. However, modeling of critical load exceedances suggests that, at continued emission levels, ecological change may occur in future. Knowledge gaps and recommendations for future work to address these gaps are also presented. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:333-360. © 2021 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin C. Horb
- Resource Stewardship DivisionAlberta Environment and ParksCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Gregory R. Wentworth
- Resource Stewardship DivisionAlberta Environment and ParksEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Present address: Environmental Protection BranchEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Paul A. Makar
- Air Quality Research DivisionEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - John Liggio
- Air Quality Research DivisionEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Katherine Hayden
- Air Quality Research DivisionEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaTorontoOntarioCanada
| | | | | | | | - Ashley C. Mahaffey
- Resource Stewardship DivisionAlberta Environment and ParksCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Diogo Sayanda
- Resource Stewardship DivisionAlberta Environment and ParksCalgaryAlbertaCanada
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Wang Z, Yuan B, Ye C, Roberts J, Wisthaler A, Lin Y, Li T, Wu C, Peng Y, Wang C, Wang S, Yang S, Wang B, Qi J, Wang C, Song W, Hu W, Wang X, Xu W, Ma N, Kuang Y, Tao J, Zhang Z, Su H, Cheng Y, Wang X, Shao M. High Concentrations of Atmospheric Isocyanic Acid (HNCO) Produced from Secondary Sources in China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:11818-11826. [PMID: 32876440 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Isocyanic acid (HNCO) is a potentially toxic atmospheric pollutant, whose atmospheric concentrations are hypothesized to be linked to adverse health effects. An earlier model study estimated that concentrations of isocyanic acid in China are highest around the world. However, measurements of isocyanic acid in ambient air have not been available in China. Two field campaigns were conducted to measure isocyanic acid in ambient air using a high-resolution time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (ToF-CIMS) in two different environments in China. The ranges of mixing ratios of isocyanic acid are from below the detection limit (18 pptv) to 2.8 ppbv (5 min average) with the average value of 0.46 ppbv at an urban site of Guangzhou in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region in fall and from 0.02 to 2.2 ppbv with the average value of 0.37 ppbv at a rural site in the North China Plain (NCP) during wintertime, respectively. These concentrations are significantly higher than previous measurements in North America. The diurnal variations of isocyanic acid are very similar to secondary pollutants (e.g., ozone, formic acid, and nitric acid) in PRD, indicating that isocyanic acid is mainly produced by secondary formation. Both primary emissions and secondary formation account for isocyanic acid in the NCP. The lifetime of isocyanic acid in a lower atmosphere was estimated to be less than 1 day due to the high apparent loss rate caused by deposition at night in PRD. Based on the steady state analysis of isocyanic acid during the daytime, we show that amides are unlikely enough to explain the formation of isocyanic acid in Guangzhou, calling for additional precursors for isocyanic acid. Our measurements of isocyanic acid in two environments of China provide important constraints on the concentrations, sources, and sinks of this pollutant in the atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zelong Wang
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Bin Yuan
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Chenshuo Ye
- State Joint Key Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - James Roberts
- NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA
| | - Armin Wisthaler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1033, Blindern, 0315 Oslo, Norway
| | - Yi Lin
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Tiange Li
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Caihong Wu
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Yuwen Peng
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Chaomin Wang
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Sihang Wang
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Suxia Yang
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Baolin Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Jipeng Qi
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Chen Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Wei Song
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Weiwei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xinming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Wanyun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather & Key Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry of China Meteorology Administration, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Nan Ma
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Ye Kuang
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Jiangchuan Tao
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Zhanyi Zhang
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Hang Su
- Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Yafang Cheng
- Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Xuemei Wang
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Min Shao
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
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Cheng Y, Li SM, Liggio J, Gordon M, Darlington A, Zheng Q, Moran M, Liu P, Wolde M. Top-Down Determination of Black Carbon Emissions from Oil Sand Facilities in Alberta, Canada Using Aircraft Measurements. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:412-418. [PMID: 31834792 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Black carbon (BC) emissions from the Canadian oil sand (OS) surface mining facilities in Alberta were investigated using aircraft measurements. BC emission rates were derived with a top-down mass balance approach and were found to be linearly related to the volume of oil sand ore mined at each facility. Two emission factors were determined from the measurements; production-based BC emission factors were in the range of 0.6-1.7 g/tonne mined OS ore, whereas fuel-based BC emission factors were between 95 and 190 mg/kg-fuel, depending upon the facility. The annual BC emission, at 707 ± 117 tonnes/year for the facilities, was determined using the production-based emission factors and annual production data. Although this annual emission is in reasonable agreement with the BC annual emissions reported in the latest version of the Canadian national BC inventory (within 16%), the relative split between off-road diesel and stack sources is significantly different between the measurements and the inventory. This measurement evidence highlights the fact that the stack sources of BC may be overestimated and the off-road diesel sources may be underestimated in the inventory and points to the need for improved BC emission data from diesel sources within facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Cheng
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Shao-Meng Li
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - John Liggio
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Mark Gordon
- Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Andrea Darlington
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Qiong Zheng
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Michael Moran
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Peter Liu
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Mengistu Wolde
- National Research Council Canada, Flight Research Laboratory, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
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Hems RF, Wang C, Collins DB, Zhou S, Borduas-Dedekind N, Siegel JA, Abbatt JPD. Sources of isocyanic acid (HNCO) indoors: a focus on cigarette smoke. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2019; 21:1334-1341. [PMID: 30976776 DOI: 10.1039/c9em00107g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The sources and sinks of isocyanic acid (HNCO), a toxic gas, in indoor environments are largely uncharacterized. In particular, cigarette smoke has been identified as a significant source. In this study, controlled smoking of tobacco cigarettes was investigated in both an environmental chamber and a residence in Toronto, Canada using an acetate-CIMS. The HNCO emission ratio from side-stream cigarette smoke was determined to be 2.7 (±1.1) × 10-3 ppb HNCO/ppb CO. Side-stream smoke from a single cigarette introduced a large pulse of HNCO to the indoor environment, increasing the HNCO mixing ratio by up to a factor of ten from background conditions of 0.15 ppb. Although there was no evidence for photochemical production of HNCO from cigarette smoke in the residence, it was observed in the environmental chamber via oxidation by the hydroxyl radical (1.1 × 107 molecules per cm3), approximately doubling the HNCO mixing ratio after 30 minutes of oxidation. Oxidation of cigarette smoke by O3 (15 ppb = 4.0 × 1017 molecules per cm3) and photo-reaction with indoor fluorescent lights did not produce HNCO. By studying the temporal profiles of both HNCO and CO after smoking, it is inferred that gas-to-surface partitioning of HNCO acts as an indoor loss pathway. Even in the absence of smoking, the indoor HNCO mixing ratios in the Toronto residence were elevated compared to concurrent outdoor measurements by approximately a factor of two.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel F Hems
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada.
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Brook JR, Cober SG, Freemark M, Harner T, Li SM, Liggio J, Makar P, Pauli B. Advances in science and applications of air pollution monitoring: A case study on oil sands monitoring targeting ecosystem protection. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2019; 69:661-709. [PMID: 31082314 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2019.1607689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The potential environmental impact of air pollutants emitted from the oil sands industry in Alberta, Canada, has received considerable attention. The mining and processing of bitumen to produce synthetic crude oil, and the waste products associated with this activity, lead to significant emissions of gaseous and particle air pollutants. Deposition of pollutants occurs locally (i.e., near the sources) and also potentially at distances downwind, depending upon each pollutant's chemical and physical properties and meteorological conditions. The Joint Oil Sands Monitoring Program (JOSM) was initiated in 2012 by the Government of Canada and the Province of Alberta to enhance or improve monitoring of pollutants and their potential impacts. In support of JOSM, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) undertook a significant research effort via three components: the Air, Water, and Wildlife components, which were implemented to better estimate baseline conditions related to levels of pollutants in the air and water, amounts of deposition, and exposures experienced by the biota. The criteria air contaminants (e.g., nitrogen oxides [NOx], sulfur dioxide [SO2], volatile organic compounds [VOCs], particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm [PM2.5]) and their secondary atmospheric products were of interest, as well as toxic compounds, particularly polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), trace metals, and mercury (Hg). This critical review discusses the challenges of assessing ecosystem impacts and summarizes the major results of these efforts through approximately 2018. Focus is on the emissions to the air and the findings from the Air Component of the ECCC research and linkages to observations of contaminant levels in the surface waters in the region, in aquatic species, as well as in terrestrial and avian species. The existing evidence of impact on these species is briefly discussed, as is the potential for some of them to serve as sentinel species for the ongoing monitoring needed to better understand potential effects, their potential causes, and to detect future changes. Quantification of the atmospheric emissions of multiple pollutants needs to be improved, as does an understanding of the processes influencing fugitive emissions and local and regional deposition patterns. The influence of multiple stressors on biota exposure and response, from natural bitumen and forest fires to climate change, complicates the current ability to attribute effects to air emissions from the industry. However, there is growing evidence of the impact of current levels of PACs on some species, pointing to the need to improve the ability to predict PAC exposures and the key emission source involved. Although this critical review attempts to integrate some of the findings across the components, in terms of ECCC activities, increased coordination or integration of air, water, and wildlife research would enhance deeper scientific understanding. Improved understanding is needed in order to guide the development of long-term monitoring strategies that could most efficiently inform a future adaptive management approach to oil sands environmental monitoring and prevention of impacts. Implications: Quantification of atmospheric emissions for multiple pollutants needs to be improved, and reporting mechanisms and standards could be adapted to facilitate such improvements, including periodic validation, particularly where uncertainties are the largest. Understanding of baseline conditions in the air, water and biota has improved significantly; ongoing enhanced monitoring, building on this progress, will help improve ecosystem protection measures in the oil sands region. Sentinel species have been identified that could be used to identify and characterize potential impacts of wildlife exposure, both locally and regionally. Polycyclic aromatic compounds are identified as having an impact on aquatic and terrestrial wildlife at current concentration levels although the significance of these impacts and attribution to emissions from oil sands development requires further assessment. Given the improvement in high resolution air quality prediction models, these should be a valuable tool to future environmental assessments and cumulative environment impact assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Brook
- a Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - S G Cober
- b Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
| | - M Freemark
- c National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change, Ottawa , Canada
| | - T Harner
- b Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
| | - S M Li
- b Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
| | - J Liggio
- b Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
| | - P Makar
- b Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
| | - B Pauli
- c National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change, Ottawa , Canada
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Leslie MD, Ridoli M, Murphy JG, Borduas-Dedekind N. Isocyanic acid (HNCO) and its fate in the atmosphere: a review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2019; 21:793-808. [PMID: 30968101 DOI: 10.1039/c9em00003h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Isocyanic acid (HNCO) has recently been identified in ambient air at potentially concerning concentrations for human health. Since its first atmospheric detection, significant progress has been made in understanding its sources and sinks. The chemistry of HNCO is governed by its partitioning between the gas and liquid phases, its weak acidity, its high solubility at pH above 5, and its electrophilic chemical behaviour. The online measurement of HNCO in ambient air is possible due to recent advances in mass spectrometry techniques, including chemical ionization mass spectrometry for the detection of weak acids. To date, HNCO has been measured in North America, Europe and South Asia as well as outdoors and indoors, with mixing ratios up to 10s of ppbv. The sources of HNCO include: (1) fossil fuel combustion such as coal, gasoline and diesel, (2) biomass burning such as wildfires and crop residue burning, (3) secondary photochemical production from amines and amides, (4) cigarette smoke, and (5) combustion of materials in the built environment. Then, three losses processes can occur: (1) gas phase photochemistry, (2) heterogenous uptake and hydrolysis, and (3) dry deposition. HNCO lifetimes with respect to photolysis and OH radical oxidation are on the order of months to decades. Consequently, the removal of HNCO from the atmosphere is thought to occur predominantly by dry deposition and by heterogeneous uptake followed by hydrolysis to NH3 and CO2. A back of the envelope calculation reveals that HNCO is an insignificant global source of NH3, contributing only around 1%, but could be important for local environments. Furthermore, HNCO can react due to its electrophilic behaviour with various nucleophilic functionalities, including those present in the human body through a reaction called protein carbamoylation. This protein modification can lead to toxicity, and thus exposure to high concentrations of HNCO can lead to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as cataracts. In this critical review, we outline our current understanding of the atmospheric fate of HNCO and its potential impacts on outdoor and indoor air quality. We also call attention to the need for toxicology studies linking HNCO exposure to health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael David Leslie
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
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9
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Measured Canadian oil sands CO 2 emissions are higher than estimates made using internationally recommended methods. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1863. [PMID: 31015411 PMCID: PMC6478833 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09714-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The oil and gas (O&G) sector represents a large source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. However, estimates of O&G emissions rely upon bottom-up approaches, and are rarely evaluated through atmospheric measurements. Here, we use aircraft measurements over the Canadian oil sands (OS) to derive the first top-down, measurement-based determination of the their annual CO2 emissions and intensities. The results indicate that CO2 emission intensities for OS facilities are 13-123% larger than those estimated using publically available data. This leads to 64% higher annual GHG emissions from surface mining operations, and 30% higher overall OS GHG emissions (17 Mt) compared to that reported by industry, despite emissions reporting which uses the most up to date and recommended bottom-up approaches. Given the similarity in bottom-up reporting methods across the entire O&G sector, these results suggest that O&G CO2 emissions inventory data may be more uncertain than previously considered.
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