Estimating NOX, VOC, and CO variability over India’s 1st smart city: Bhubaneswar

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds including benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene (BTEX) in the atmosphere have severe health and environmental implications. These variables are trace elements in the atmosphere. There are not enough measurement and analysis studies related to atmospheric BTEX variation globally, and studies are even less in developing countries like India. The present study analyses BTEX variations over an eastern Indian site, Bhubaneswar. The continuous measurement of BTEX is first of its kind over Bhubaneswar. The study analyses 2 years of BTEX data (2017–2018), and attempts to find the relation with meteorological parameters, the significance of the ratio between components, along with the analysis of transported air masses. To account for the pattern of emissions in association with BTEX variability over Bhubaneswar, we have also developed emission details from the transportation sector for the year 2018 and analyzed the emission patterns of CO and NOx for the year 2018. The results indicated that BTEX concentrations are maintained at the site via transportation from other regions, with significant local generation of BTEX, which is smaller in comparison to the transported emission.

Assessing the effect of BTEX on blood and spirometry parameters staff in a petroleum refinery

“…BTEX compounds are found abundantly in outdoor air and surface water. They exist in plastic, paint, rubber, detergent, etc., industries as pollutant sources ( 7 , 8 ). Gas stations are one of the most important sources of emissions of volatile organic compounds and BTEX ( 9 ).…”

Benzene: A critical review on measurement methodology, certified reference material, exposure limits with its impact on human health and mitigation strategies

“…It is also a component of gasoline and tobacco smoke [ 12 ]. Traffic emissions and fuel stations are predominant sources of benzene in urban areas [ 13 - 14 ]. It is a VOC that can evaporate into the air, and exposure can occur through inhalation of ambient air or direct contact with contaminated soil or water.…”

Seasonal and diurnal measurement of ambient benzene at a high traffic inflation site in Delhi: Health risk assessment and its possible role in ozone formation pathways

“…Sources made by people include gasoline refineries, the evaporation of fuel during loading and unloading, storage tanks, industry and chemical solvents used in industry and household products, vehicle exhaust from both complete and incomplete combustion of gasoline, cigarettes, paints, etc. About 99.3 % of all VOCs in the air come from the transportation sector [ 17 ]. A. Kumar et al [ 18 ] found that between 80 to 85 % of vehicle exhaust, 10 to 20 % of vaporization, and 3 to 6 % of benzene are released by the transportation sector.…”

“…http://eaht.org sector [17]. A. Kumar et al [18] found that between 80 to 85 % of vehicle exhaust, 10 to 20 % of vaporization, and 3 to 6 % of benzene are released by the transportation sector.…”