Volatile organic compounds in a typical petrochemical industrialized valley city of northwest China based on high-resolution PTR-MS measurements: Characterization, sources and chemical effects

To scientifically understand the emissions and chemistry of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a typical petrochemical industrialized and dust-rich region of Northwest China, VOCs were measured at a receptor site in the Lanzhou Valley using a high-resolution online proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometer (PTR-MS). The ranking of VOC mixing ratios was methanol (32.72 ± 8.94 ppb) > acetaldehyde (5.05 ± 2.4 ppb) > acetic acid (3.42 ± 1.71 ppb). Lanzhou has higher oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) mixing ratios (methanol and acetaldehyde) and lower aromatics levels (benzene, toluene and C8-aromatics) compared with other cities. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model showed eight sources of VOCs as follows: (1) mixed industrial process-1 (13.5%), (2) secondary formation (13.2%), (3) mixed industrial process-2 (11.8%), (4) residential biofuel use and waste disposal (13.80%), (5) solvent usage (10.1%), (6) vehicular exhaust (11.8%), (7) biogenic (13.8%) and (8) biomass burning (12.0%). Both the PSCF and the CWT results of mixed industrial process-1 were mainly from the northeast of Lanzhou and the biomass burning was from the southeast; the other four sources (without secondary formation and biogenic) were mainly from the west and northwest of Lanzhou, which were associated with the dust area of the Gobi Desert. A trajectory sector analysis revealed that the local emissions contributed 64.9-71.1% to the VOCs. OVOCs accounted for 43% of the ozone production potential (OFP), and residential biofuel use and waste disposal (25.1%), mixed industrial process-2 (15.3%) and solvent usage (13.4%) appeared to be the dominant sources contributors to O₃ production. The rank of main secondary organic aerosols (SOA) precursors under low-NOx conditions is xylene > toluene > benzene > naphthalene > styrene > C10-aromatics > isoprene, while under high-NOx conditions, it is toluene > naphthalene > xylene > C10-aromatics > styrene > benzene > isoprene. Solvent usage and vehicular exhaust appeared to be the dominant contributors to SOA formation.

Characteristics, source apportionment and reactivity of ambient volatile organic compounds at Dinghu Mountain in Guangdong Province, China

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play a very important role in the formation of ozone and secondary organic aerosols. The concentrations, compositions, and variability of VOCs were measured from 2005 to 2008 at Dinghu Mountain Forest Ecosystem Research Station, a remote station in Southeast China. Weekly samples were collected in the Dinghu Mountain area and were analysed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results revealed that the total VOC concentrations decreased continuously and that the dominant VOC components were alkanes (43%) and aromatics (33%), followed by halo-hydrocarbons (12%) and alkenes (12%). The general trend of seasonal variation indicated higher concentrations in spring and lower concentrations in summer. The positive matrix factorization model was used to identify the sources of the VOCs. Seven sources were resolved by the PMF model: (1) vehicular emissions, which contributed 25% of the total VOC concentration; (2) industrial sources and regional transportation, contributing 17%; (3) paint solvent use, contributing 17%; (4) fuel evaporation, contributing 13%; (5) stationary combustion sources, contributing 12%; (6) biogenic emissions, contributing 10%; and aged VOCs, contributing only 6%. The HYSPLIT model was used to analyse the effect of pollutant transport, and the results indicated that the transport of pollutants from cities cannot be ignored. Finally, the OH radical loss rates and ozone formation potentials (OFPs) were calculated, and the results indicated isoprene to have the highest OH radical loss rate and toluene to be the largest contributor to the OFP at the Dinghu Mountain site.