Indoor and outdoor air concentrations of volatile organic compounds in schools within different urban areas

This study characterized emissions of particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, and anions from Mongolian bituminous coals in a controlled heating experiment. Three coal samples from Alag Tolgoi (coal 1), Baganuur (coal 2), and Nalaikh (coal 3) were combusted at a constant heat flux of 50 kW/m2 using a dual-cone calorimeter. The coal samples were commonly used in ger district of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. PM10 emission factors were 1122.9 ± 526.2, 958.1 ± 584.0, and 472.0 ± 57.1 mg/kg for coal samples 1, 2, and 3, respectively. PM with a diameter of 0.35–0.45 µm was dominant and accounted for 41, 34, and 48% of the total PM for coal samples 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The emissions of PM and VOC from coals commonly used in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia were significant enough to cause extremely high levels of indoor and outdoor air pollution.

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Study of Volatile Organic Compounds in Indoor and Outdoor Air(I).

Journal of Environmental Chemistry ◽

10.5985/jec.7.809 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 809-819

Author(s):

Masaru TOKUHARA ◽

Azuma KIDO ◽

Hiroshi FUJINO ◽

Jyuji YAKUSHIJIN ◽

Kozo KIDO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Volatile Organic Compounds ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Outdoor Air ◽

Volatile Organic ◽

Indoor And Outdoor

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Spatial Distribution, Source Apportionment, Ozone Formation Potential, and Health Risks of Volatile Organic Compounds over a Typical Central Plain City in China

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos11121365 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 1365

Author(s):

Kun He ◽

Zhenxing Shen ◽

Jian Sun ◽

Yali Lei ◽

Yue Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Volatile Organic Compounds ◽

Source Apportionment ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Health Risks ◽

Urban Areas ◽

High Time Resolution ◽

Ozone Formation ◽

Industrial Site ◽

Industrial Emissions ◽

Volatile Organic

The profiles, contributions to ozone formation, and associated health risks of 56 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) species were investigated using high time resolution observations from photochemical assessment monitoring stations (PAMs) in Luoyang, China. The daily averaged concentration of total VOCs (TVOCs) was 21.66 ± 10.34 ppbv in urban areas, 14.45 ± 7.40 ppbv in suburbs, and 37.58 ± 13.99 ppbv in an industrial zone. Overall, the VOCs levels in these nine sites followed a decreasing sequence of alkanes > aromatics > alkenes > alkyne. Diurnal variations in VOCs exhibited two peaks at 8:00–9:00 and 19:00–20:00, with one valley at 23:00–24:00. Source apportionment indicated that vehicle and industrial emissions were the dominant sources of VOCs in urban and suburban sites. The industrial site displayed extreme levels, with contributions from petrochemical-related sources of up to 38.3%. Alkenes and aromatics displayed the highest ozone formation potentials because of their high photochemical reactivity. Cancer and noncancer risks in the industrial site were higher than those in the urban and suburban areas, and USEPA possible risk thresholds were reached in the industrial site, indicating PAMs VOC–related health problems cannot be ignored. Therefore, vehicle and industrial emissions should be prioritized when considering VOCs and O3 control strategies in Luoyang.

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