A multi-year study of VOC emissions at a chemical waste disposal facility using mobile APCI-MS and LPCI-MS instruments

Abstract

Real-time analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air is useful both for source identification and emissions compliance applications. In this work, two complementary triple quadrupole mass spectrometers, fitted with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and a low pressure chemical ionization (LPCI) source, respectively, were deployed simultaneously to investigate emissions of VOCs associated with an Ontario-based chemical waste disposal facility. Mobile measurements performed upwind and downwind of the facility enabled selection of the best locations for stationary sampling. Seven separate field studies were undertaken between 2000 and 2016 to assess how emissions of VOCs have changed at the site as a function of time. Up to twenty-nine VOCs were successfully identified and quantified using MS/MS in each study. Simultaneous deployment of the two mass spectrometers enabled the detection of polar VOCs including alcohols, esters, amines and ketones as well as non-polar aromatic VOCs including benzene and naphthalene in real time. Concentrations of VOCs were found to decrease significantly in the vicinity of the facility over the sixteen year period, in particular since 2007. Concentration values for each year are compared with odour thresholds and provincial guidelines and implications of future expansion of on-site solid waste landfill volumes are also discussed.