Characteristics of marine shipping emissions at berth: profiles for particulate matter and volatile organic compounds

Q. Xiao; Q. Xiao; Q. Xiao; M. Li; M. Li; M. Li; H. Liu; H. Liu; M. Fu; M. Fu; M. Fu; F. Deng; F. Deng; Z. Lv; Z. Lv; H. Man; H. Man; X. Jin; X. Jin; S. Liu; S. Liu; K. He; K. He

doi:10.5194/acp-18-9527-2018

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Jul 2018)

Characteristics of marine shipping emissions at berth: profiles for particulate matter and volatile organic compounds

Q. Xiao,
Q. Xiao,
Q. Xiao,
M. Li,
M. Li,
M. Li,
H. Liu,
H. Liu,
M. Fu,
M. Fu,
M. Fu,
F. Deng,
F. Deng,
Z. Lv,
Z. Lv,
H. Man,
H. Man,
X. Jin,
X. Jin,
S. Liu,
S. Liu,
K. He,
K. He

Affiliations

Q. Xiao: State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Q. Xiao: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, Beijing, 100084, China
Q. Xiao: These authors contributed equally to this work.
M. Li: Institute of Mass Spectrometer and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
M. Li: Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for On-line Source Apportionment System of Air Pollution, Guangzhou, 510632, China
M. Li: These authors contributed equally to this work.
H. Liu: State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
H. Liu: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, Beijing, 100084, China
M. Fu: State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
M. Fu: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, Beijing, 100084, China
M. Fu: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment (SKLECRA), Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
F. Deng: State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
F. Deng: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, Beijing, 100084, China
Z. Lv: State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Z. Lv: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, Beijing, 100084, China
H. Man: State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
H. Man: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, Beijing, 100084, China
X. Jin: State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
X. Jin: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, Beijing, 100084, China
S. Liu: State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
S. Liu: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, Beijing, 100084, China
K. He: State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
K. He: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, Beijing, 100084, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9527-2018
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 18
pp. 9527 – 9545

Abstract

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Emissions from ships at berth play an important role regarding the exposure of high density human populations to atmospheric pollutants in port areas; however, these emissions are not well understood. In this study, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particle emissions from 20 container ships at berth were sampled and analyzed during the fuel switch period at Jingtang Port in Hebei Province, China. VOCs and particles were analyzed using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and a single particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SPAMS), respectively. VOC analysis showed that alkanes and aromatics, especially benzene, toluene and heavier compounds e.g., n-heptane, n-octane and n-nonane, dominated the total identified species. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yields and ozone (O3) forming potential were 0.017 ± 0.007 g SOA g−1 VOCs and 2.63 ± 0.37 g O3 g−1 VOCs, respectively. Both positive and negative ion mass spectra from individual ships were derived and the intensity of specific ions were quantified. Results showed that elemental carbon (35.74 %), elemental carbon–organic carbon mixtures (33.95 %) and Na-rich particles (21.12 %) were major classes, comprising 90.7 % of the particles observed. Particles from ship auxiliary engines were in the 0.2 to 2.5 µm size range, with a peak occurring at around 0.4 µm. The issue of using vanadium (V) as tracer element was examined, and it was found that V was not a proper tracer of ship emissions when using low sulfur content diesel oil. The average percentage of sulfate particles observed in shipping emissions before and after switching to marine diesel oil remained unchanged at 24 %. Under certain wind conditions, when berths were upwind of emission sources, the ratios before and after 1 January were 35 and 27 % respectively. The impact of atmospheric stability was discussed based on PM2.5 and primary pollutant (carbon monoxide) concentration. With a background of frequent haze episodes and complex mechanisms of particulate accumulation and secondary formation, the impact of atmospheric stability is believed to have been weak on the sulfate contribution from shipping emissions. The results from this study provide robust support for port area air quality assessment and source apportionment.

Published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

ISSN: 1680-7316 (Print); 1680-7324 (Online)
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Country of publisher: Germany
LCC subjects: Science: Physics; Science: Chemistry
Website: http://www.atmospheric-chemistry-and-physics.net/

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