Ambient volatile organic compound presence in the highly urbanized city: source apportionment and emission position. (1st June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Yu Shan; Hsieh, Chu Chin
• Is Part Of: Atmospheric environment. Volume 206(2019)
• Page Start: 45
• Page End: 59
• Publication Date: 2019-06-01
• Subjects: Air quality -- Receptor model -- Source apportionment -- Ozone formation potential -- Conditional probability function -- Temporal variation; Air -- Pollution -- Periodicals; Air -- Pollution -- Meteorological aspects -- Periodicals; 551.51
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2019.02.046
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1352-2310

Abstract

Abstract: Ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs) measured hourly by the photochemical assessment monitoring station (PAMS) in Taichung were collected to analyze characteristics and provide source apportionment of VOCs. In this study, aromatics and alkanes were found to be the major VOC categories. The major species included toluene, m, p-xylene, propane, ethane, n-butane, and isopentane, which came from the east and southeast. VOC concentrations were highest in March and lowest in July, due to temperature, accumulated precipitation, boundary layer effects, and photochemical reactions. Positive matrix factorization analysis showed that industrial emissions (solvent usage and industry) were the major source, which originated from the northwest to south. Traffic emissions (fuel evaporation and vehicular emissions) were the second highest source and came from the southeast. An estimation of ozone formation suggests that industrial emissions were still a key source. Therefore, effective abatement strategies for industrial emissions should be given priority for VOC control. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Toluene, m, p-xylene, propane, ethane, n-butane, and isopentane were the top six ambient VOCs. Toluene was the largest potential contributor to ozone formation. The order of source apportionment was solvent usage and industry (44%), vehicular emissions and fuel evaporation (36%), and aged airmass (16%). Source positions indicated that industry and solvent usage originated predominantly from the northwest to south, whereas vehicular emissions and fuel evaporation were from the southeast; aged airmass came from the northeast.