Measurement report: High contributions of halocarbon and aromatic compounds to atmospheric volatile organic compounds in an industrial area

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are key components of tropospheric chemistry. We investigated ambient VOCs in an industrial area in Nanjing, China, between July 2018 and May 2020. The sum of the suite of measured total VOC (TVOC) concentrations was 59.8 ± 28.6 ppbv (part per billion by volume) during the investigation period. About twice the TVOC concentrations were observed in the autumn (83 ± 20 ppbv) and winter (77.5 ± 16.8 ppbv) seasons compared to those in spring (39.6 ± 13.1 ppbv) and summer (38.8 ± 10.2 ppbv). In previous studies in Nanjing, oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) and halocarbons were not measured, and the current TVOC concentration without halocarbons and OVOCs was similar to the previous investigation in the same study area. However, it was twofold higher than the one reported in the nonindustrial suburban area of Nanjing. Due to the industrial influence, the halocarbons VOC group (14.3 ± 7.3 ppbv, 24 %) was the second-largest contributor to the TVOCs after alkanes (21 ± 7 ppbv, 35 %), which is in contrast with the previous studies in Nanjing and also in almost all other regions in China. Relatively high proportions of halocarbons and aromatics were observed in autumn (25.7 % and 19.3 %, respectively) and winter (25.8 % and 17.6 %, respectively) compared to those in summer (20.4 % and 11.8 %, respectively) and spring (20.3 % and 13.6 %, respectively). According to the potential source contribution function (PSCF), short-distance transport from the surrounding industrial areas and cities was the main reason for the high VOC concentrations in the study area. According to positive matrix factorization (PMF) model results, vehicle-related emissions (33 %–48 %) contributed to the major portion of the ambient VOC concentrations. Aromatics, followed by alkenes, were the top contributors to the loss rate of OH radicals (LOH; 37 % and 32 %, respectively). According to the empirical kinetic modelling approach (EKMA) and relative incremental reactivity (RIR) analysis, the study area was in the VOC-sensitive regime for ozone (O3) formation during all measurement seasons. Therefore, alkenes and aromatics emissions from automobiles need to be decreased to reduce secondary air pollution formation in the study area.