Volatile organic compounds in urban Lhasa: variations, sources, and potential risks
Lhasa is a typical high-altitude city with strong solar radiation and high background ozone levels. With the rapid development and urbanization, the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Tibet has been increasing annually. However, VOCs activity and the impact on air quality and human hea...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Environmental Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.941100/full |
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| author | Shuzheng Guo Yaru Wang Tiantian Zhang Zhiqiang Ma Chunxiang Ye Weili Lin De Ji Yang Zong Bai Ma Yang Zong |
| author_facet | Shuzheng Guo Yaru Wang Tiantian Zhang Zhiqiang Ma Chunxiang Ye Weili Lin De Ji Yang Zong Bai Ma Yang Zong |
| author_sort | Shuzheng Guo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lhasa is a typical high-altitude city with strong solar radiation and high background ozone levels. With the rapid development and urbanization, the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Tibet has been increasing annually. However, VOCs activity and the impact on air quality and human health have scarcely been investigated. We conducted online measurement of VOCs in urban Lhasa during May 2019. The mean mixing ratio (with one standard deviation) of the total VOCs was 21.5 ± 18.6 ppb. Of the total VOCs, alkanes, alkenes, and aromatic hydrocarbons accounted for 57.7%, 20.9%, and 21.4%, respectively. On the basis of VOC atmospheric reactivity, the ozone formation potential (OFP) and hydroxyl radical loss rate (LOH) were 91.7 ppb and 3.1 s−1, respectively. Alkenes accounted for the largest proportion of the OFP and LOH, followed by aromatic hydrocarbons. The results of correlation analysis on the benzene series (BTEX), and the similarity of the diurnal changes in CO, NOy, BTEX, and TVOC mixing ratios indicated that Lhasa city strongly affected by motor vehicle emissions. Source apportionments using positive matrix factorization (PMF) model further confirmed that traffic related emissions, including gasoline automobiles, diesel vehicles, and public transportation vehicles fueled with liquid natural gas contributed the most in total VOCs concentration (44.5%–50.2%), LOH (41.6%–46.8%) and OFP (47.4%–52.3%). Biomass combustion, mainly from the traditional biomass fuel in the plateau, was the second contributor to ambient VOCs (41.3%), LOH (26.4%), and OFP (29.7%), and existed a less variation in diurnal changes with a feature of regional background. Plants contributed only about 1.5% to the VOCs concentration but a relatively high (approximately 14.6%) LOH. The noncarcinogenic risk of BTEX did not exceed the hazard quotient value, but the carcinogenic risk of benzene was 4.47 × 10–6, indicating a potential risk. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:14:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4d069ad5a4184e5eabc9654778e56d13 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-665X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:14:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Environmental Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-4d069ad5a4184e5eabc9654778e56d132022-12-22T03:07:11ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2022-08-011010.3389/fenvs.2022.941100941100Volatile organic compounds in urban Lhasa: variations, sources, and potential risksShuzheng Guo0Yaru Wang1Tiantian Zhang2Zhiqiang Ma3Chunxiang Ye4Weili Lin5De Ji Yang Zong6Bai Ma Yang Zong7Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environment in Minority Areas (Minzu University of China), National Ethnic Affairs Commission, Beijing, ChinaCollege of Environmental Science and Technology, Peking University, Beijing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Ecology and Environment in Minority Areas (Minzu University of China), National Ethnic Affairs Commission, Beijing, ChinaBeijing Shangdianzi Regional Atmosphere Watch Station, Beijing, ChinaCollege of Environmental Science and Technology, Peking University, Beijing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Ecology and Environment in Minority Areas (Minzu University of China), National Ethnic Affairs Commission, Beijing, ChinaTibet Meteorological Bureau, Lhasa, ChinaTibet Meteorological Bureau, Lhasa, ChinaLhasa is a typical high-altitude city with strong solar radiation and high background ozone levels. With the rapid development and urbanization, the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Tibet has been increasing annually. However, VOCs activity and the impact on air quality and human health have scarcely been investigated. We conducted online measurement of VOCs in urban Lhasa during May 2019. The mean mixing ratio (with one standard deviation) of the total VOCs was 21.5 ± 18.6 ppb. Of the total VOCs, alkanes, alkenes, and aromatic hydrocarbons accounted for 57.7%, 20.9%, and 21.4%, respectively. On the basis of VOC atmospheric reactivity, the ozone formation potential (OFP) and hydroxyl radical loss rate (LOH) were 91.7 ppb and 3.1 s−1, respectively. Alkenes accounted for the largest proportion of the OFP and LOH, followed by aromatic hydrocarbons. The results of correlation analysis on the benzene series (BTEX), and the similarity of the diurnal changes in CO, NOy, BTEX, and TVOC mixing ratios indicated that Lhasa city strongly affected by motor vehicle emissions. Source apportionments using positive matrix factorization (PMF) model further confirmed that traffic related emissions, including gasoline automobiles, diesel vehicles, and public transportation vehicles fueled with liquid natural gas contributed the most in total VOCs concentration (44.5%–50.2%), LOH (41.6%–46.8%) and OFP (47.4%–52.3%). Biomass combustion, mainly from the traditional biomass fuel in the plateau, was the second contributor to ambient VOCs (41.3%), LOH (26.4%), and OFP (29.7%), and existed a less variation in diurnal changes with a feature of regional background. Plants contributed only about 1.5% to the VOCs concentration but a relatively high (approximately 14.6%) LOH. The noncarcinogenic risk of BTEX did not exceed the hazard quotient value, but the carcinogenic risk of benzene was 4.47 × 10–6, indicating a potential risk.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.941100/fullTibet Plateaubenzene seriesatmospheric reactivityozone formation potentialhealth riskVOCs |
| spellingShingle | Shuzheng Guo Yaru Wang Tiantian Zhang Zhiqiang Ma Chunxiang Ye Weili Lin De Ji Yang Zong Bai Ma Yang Zong Volatile organic compounds in urban Lhasa: variations, sources, and potential risks Frontiers in Environmental Science Tibet Plateau benzene series atmospheric reactivity ozone formation potential health risk VOCs |
| title | Volatile organic compounds in urban Lhasa: variations, sources, and potential risks |
| title_full | Volatile organic compounds in urban Lhasa: variations, sources, and potential risks |
| title_fullStr | Volatile organic compounds in urban Lhasa: variations, sources, and potential risks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Volatile organic compounds in urban Lhasa: variations, sources, and potential risks |
| title_short | Volatile organic compounds in urban Lhasa: variations, sources, and potential risks |
| title_sort | volatile organic compounds in urban lhasa variations sources and potential risks |
| topic | Tibet Plateau benzene series atmospheric reactivity ozone formation potential health risk VOCs |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.941100/full |
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