Vertical Profile and Spatial Distribution of Ozone and Its Precursors at the Inland and Offshore of an Industrial City

Tsai, Hsieh-Hung; Liu, Yufu; Yuan, Chung-Shin; Chen, Wei–Hsiang; Lin, Yuan-Chung; Hung, Chung-Hsuang; Lin, Chitsan; Jen, Yi-Hsiu; Ie, Iau-Ren; Yang, Horng-Yu

doi:10.4209/aaqr.2012.01.0018

Cited by 19 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…The study of vertical profiles of VOCs, in the troposphere, can help us better understand their concentration, distribution, and chemical changes which occur at different heights, thus deepening the understanding of their effects on ozone and secondary organic aerosol formation in the vertical direction. The most used techniques for studying vertical profiles are aircraft (Borbon et al, 2013), tethered balloons (Glaser et al, 2003;Sangiorgi et al, 2011;Tsai et al, 2012;Zhang et al, 2018), and towers (Lin et al, 2011;Mao et al, 2008;Zhang et al, 2020). Tethered balloons can sample up to a height of 1000 m (Sun et al, 2018;Wu et al, 2020), but require large space and only operate for short-flight distances.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical Profiles of Volatile Organic Compounds in Suburban Shanghai

et al. 2021

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As Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are one of the precursors of ozone, their distribution and variable concentrations are highly related to local ozone pollution control. In this study, we obtained vertical profiles of VOCs in Shanghai's Jinshan district on 8 September and 9 September in 2016 to investigate their distribution and impact on local atmospheric oxidation in the near surface layer. Vertical samples were collected from heights between 50 m and 400 m by summa canisters using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Concentrations of VOCs (VOCs refers to the 52 species measured in this study) varied minimally below 200 m, and decreased by 21.2% from 100 m to 400 m. The concentrations of VOCs above 200 m decreased significantly in comparison to those below 200 m. The proportions of alkanes and aromatics increased from 55.2% and 30.5% to 57.3% and 33.0%, respectively. Additionally, the proportion of alkenes decreased from 13.2% to 8.4%. Toluene and m/p-xylene were the key species in the formation of SOA and ozone. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the VOCs measured in this study mainly originated from industrial emissions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical Profiles of Volatile Organic Compounds in Suburban Shanghai

et al. 2021

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“…The uncontrolled release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from anthropogenic sources has been widely reported. [1][2][3][4][5] These compounds are of concern due to their detrimental environmental impact by participating in atmospheric photochemical reactions and adverse health effects. [6][7][8][9] A large number of VOCs are known as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) causing cancers and other serious health effects by inhalation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Underestimated public health risks caused by overestimated VOC removal in wastewater treatment processes

Yang

Wang

Zhao

et al. 2014

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts

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The uncontrolled release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and the adverse health effects on the public have been of increasing concern. In this study, a lab-scale bioreactor was prepared to analyze the mass distribution of three aromatic (benzene, toluene, and xylenes) and four chlorinated VOCs (chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene) among the air, water and sludge phases in wastewater treatment processes. The VOC distribution through a full-scale WWTP in northern China was further investigated with respect to the effects of seasonal temperature variations and treatment technologies, followed by the cancer risk assessment using a steady-state Gaussian plume model (Industrial Source Complex) to simulate the atmospheric behaviors of the VOCs emitted from the WWTP. It was found that three aromatic hydrocarbons, notably benzene, were more readily released from the wastewater into the atmosphere, whereas the chlorinated compounds except chloroform were mainly present in the water phase through the treatment processes. The primary clarifier was the technology releasing high levels of VOCs into the atmosphere from the wastewater. The extents of volatilization or biodegradation, two important mechanisms to remove VOCs from wastewater, appeared to be determined by the physicochemical characteristics of the compounds, as the influence of treatment technologies (e.g., aeration) and seasonal temperature variations was rather limited. More importantly, the people living in the areas even more than 4 km away from the WWTP were still potentially exposed to cancer risks exceeding the regulatory threshold limit. The findings described the complex nature of VOC emissions from WWTPs and quantitatively indicated that the associated health impacts on the public near the WWTPs could be severely underestimated, whereas their treatment efficiencies by wastewater treatment technologies were overestimated. Instead of fully controlling the VOC release from WWTPs, the identification and abatement of important VOC species with regard to the atmospheric emission and health concerns is one possible alternative approach to effectively minimize the environmental and public health impacts by VOCs released from this particular source.

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“…There is a long series of studies of health (Yang et al, 1998), visibility (Lee et al, 2005;Lee, 2006) and PAHs (Lai et al, 2017). Early problems seem dominated by primary pollutants, but the situation with ozone has caused concern across recent years (Hung-Lung et al, 2007;Shiu at al., 2007;Tsai et al, 2012). Although there are also contemporary claims that for two decades, atmospheric visibility in Kaohsiung has worsened (Lee and Lai, 2018) This paper explores a fty-year history of air pollution in Kaohsiung to understand the changes and assess the relevance of shifts in the economy and regulatory activity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fifty-Year Change in Air Pollution in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Lee

Brimblecombe

Lee

2022

Preprint

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The change in air quality in cities can be the product of regulation and emissions. Regulations require enforcement of emission reduction, but it is often a shifting economic and societal structures that influence pollutant emissions. This study examines the long-term record of air pollutants in Kaohsiung, where post-war industrialisation increased pollution dramatically, although improvements are observed in recent decades as the city moved to a more mixed economy. The study tracks both gases and particles across a period of significant change in pollution sources in the city. Concentrations of SO2 and aerosol SO42- were especially high ~1970, but these gradually declined, although the SO42- to a lesser extent than its precursor, SO2. While 21st century emissions of SO2 and NOx have declined, this has been less so for NH3, because it arises from predominantly agricultural sources. The atmosphere in Kaohsiung continues to have high concentrations of O3, and these have risen in the city, likely a product of less titration by NO. The changes have meant that ozone has become an increasing threat to health and agriculture. Despite a potential for the production of (NH4)2SO4 and NH4NO3 aerosols, a product of a relatively constant supply of NH3, visibility has improved in recent years. The emissions of SO2 and NOx should continue to be reduced, as these strongly affect the amount of fine secondary aerosol. However, the key problem may be ozone, which is difficult to control as it needs careful consideration of the balance of NOx and hydrocarbons so important to its production.

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Vertical Profile and Spatial Distribution of Ozone and Its Precursors at the Inland and Offshore of an Industrial City

Cited by 19 publications

References 32 publications

Vertical Profiles of Volatile Organic Compounds in Suburban Shanghai

Vertical Profiles of Volatile Organic Compounds in Suburban Shanghai

Underestimated public health risks caused by overestimated VOC removal in wastewater treatment processes

Fifty-Year Change in Air Pollution in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

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