Is It Possible to Predict the Concentration of Natural Volatile Organic Compounds in Forest Atmosphere?

Geonwoo Kim, Sujin Park and Dooahn Kwak
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Geonwoo Kim: Forest Welfare Division, Forest Policy and Economics Department, National Institute of Forest Science, Seoul 02455, Korea
Sujin Park: Forest Welfare Division, Forest Policy and Economics Department, National Institute of Forest Science, Seoul 02455, Korea
Dooahn Kwak: Forest Welfare Division, Forest Policy and Economics Department, National Institute of Forest Science, Seoul 02455, Korea

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: We aimed to understand the correlation between the microclimate environment within a forest and NVOC (Natural volatile organic compounds) concentration and the concentration of NVOC more efficiently through the prediction model method. In this study, 380 samples were collected and analyzed to examine the characteristics of NVOC emitted from a birch forest. NVOC were analyzed in May and July 2019, and measurements were performed at three different locations. Using a pump and stainless-steel tube filled with Tenax-TA, 9 L of NVOC was collected at a speed of 150 mL/h. The analysis of NVOC composition in the forest showed that it comprised α-pinene 27% and camphor 10%. Evaluation of the correlation between the NVOC concentration and the microclimate in the forests showed that the concentration increased markedly with the increase in temperature and humidity, and the concentration decreased with the increase in wind velocity. Nineteen substances in total including α-pinene and β-pinene were detected at high concentrations during the sunset. The results of the study site analysis presented a significant regression model with a R 2 as high as 60.1%, confirming that the regression model of the concentration prediction of NVOC in birch forest has significant explanatory power.

Keywords: natural VOC; forest therapy; aroma therapy; betula platyphylla; VOC modeling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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