A Spatial-Temporal Resolved Validation of Source Apportionment by Measurements of Ambient VOCs in Central China

Longjiao Shen, Zuwu Wang, Hairong Cheng, Shengwen Liang, Ping Xiang, Ke Hu, Ting Yin and Jia Yu
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Longjiao Shen: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
Zuwu Wang: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
Hairong Cheng: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
Shengwen Liang: Environmental Monitoring Center of Wuhan, Wuhan 430022, China
Ping Xiang: Nanjing Intelligent Environmental Sci-Tech Company Limited, Nanjing 211800, China
Ke Hu: Environmental Monitoring Center of Wuhan, Wuhan 430022, China
Ting Yin: Environmental Monitoring Center of Wuhan, Wuhan 430022, China
Jia Yu: Environmental Monitoring Center of Wuhan, Wuhan 430022, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: Understanding the sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is essential in the implementation of abatement measures of ground-level ozone and secondary organic aerosols. In this study, we conducted offline VOC measurements at residential, industrial, and background sites in Wuhan City from July 2016 to June 2017. Ambient samples were simultaneously collected at each site and were analyzed using a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection system. The highest mixing ratio of total VOCs was measured at the industrial site, followed by the residential, and background sites. Alkanes constituted the largest percentage (>35%) in the mixing ratios of quantified VOCs at the industrial and residential sites, followed by oxy-organics and alkenes (15–25%).The values of aromatics and halohydrocarbons were less than 15%. By contrast, the highest values of oxy-organics accounted for more than 30%. The model of positive matrix factorization was applied to identify the VOC sources and quantify the relative contributions of various sources. Gasoline-related emission (the combination of gasoline exhaust and gas vapor) was the most important VOC-source in the industrial and residential areas, with a relative contribution of 32.1% and 40.4%, respectively. Industrial process was the second most important source with a relative contribution ranging from 30.0% to 40.7%. The relative contribution of solvent usage was 6.5–22.3%. Meanwhile, the relative contribution of biogenic emission was only within the range of 2.0–5.0%. These findings implied the importance of controlling gasoline-related and industrial VOC emissions in reducing the VOC emissions in Wuhan.

Keywords: VOCs; source apportionment; PMF; Wuhan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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