Anthropogenic sources apportionment of volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere of Pearl River Delta, South China

Abstract

Using air sampling canisters and pre-concentrator and gas chromatograph-mass spectrum instrument, this paper studied the characterization profiles of 52 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from 13 kinds of typical anthropogenic sources and their content in the ambient air of Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China. Then chemical mass balance model was run to calculate their source apportionment in the atmosphere of PRD. The results showed that there didn't exist the profile with single molecular mark at all in PRD, but the complex multi-linearity emission sources could be identified by the VOCs characteristic profiles with consideration on the uncertainty of atmospheric chemical reactions, pollutants diffusion and deposition and sources loss, etc. The sources apportionment of VOCs in PRD were mobile sources 15.0%, stationary industries 29.4%, area sources 25.7% and unidentified sources 29.9% . In 2002, stationary sources and mobile sources were the most important to be controlled by government, however, area sources was troublesome. © 2008 IEEE.