Concentration and source apportionment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the ambient air of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Puteri Nurafidah Hosaini, Md Firoz Khan (), Nur Ili Hamizah Mustaffa, Norhaniza Amil, Noorlin Mohamad, Shoffian Amin Jaafar, Mohd Shahrul Mohd Nadzir and Mohd Talib Latif
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Puteri Nurafidah Hosaini: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Md Firoz Khan: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Nur Ili Hamizah Mustaffa: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Norhaniza Amil: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Noorlin Mohamad: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Shoffian Amin Jaafar: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Mohd Shahrul Mohd Nadzir: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Mohd Talib Latif: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, 2017, vol. 85, issue 1, No 21, 437-452

Abstract: Abstract The accumulation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ambient air affects air quality through the generation of surface level ozone and secondary organic aerosol. A study of the distribution and source apportionment of VOCs was conducted at two stations to investigate the air quality status of Kuala Lumpur. Samples of ambient air were collected into Tedlar sampling bags using an air sampling pump and then pre-concentrated with solid-phase micro-extraction fibre. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was employed to measure the VOC species. An absolute principal component score–multiple linear regression (APCS–MLR) model was then applied to identify the possible source contributions of VOCs. Seventeen VOCs were detected, and methylene chloride (243 ± 241 ppbv) was the most abundant species at both stations. Within the benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene group of VOCs, toluene was dominant with an average of 135 ± 202 ppbv, followed by p-xylene (41.3 ± 24.7 ppbv), ethyl benzene (34.0 ± 32.6 ppbv) and benzene (18.2 ± 12.9 ppbv). A strong correlation between benzene and toluene (p

Keywords: VOCs; BTEX; Source apportionment; Congested areas; Residential–urban environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11069-016-2575-7

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