Abstract
Background: Air pollution is one of the biggest problems in the world, and it is generated by industrial production, vehicular flow and use of fossil fuels, leaving aside other important emission sources such as vegetation. The aim of this research is to quantify the emissions of natural volatile organic compounds produced by the forest species: Eucalyptus globulus L., Pinus radiata and Alnus acuminata in Riobamba, Ecuador. Methods: Identification of plant coverings in the years 2014 and 2017was performed using geographic information systems tools, complemented with the application of the Guenther model for the calculation of monoterpenes and other organic volatile compounds; thus, to analyze the relationship between meteorological variables and concentrations of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen dioxide per species. Results: Mathematical calculation of emissions in Riobamba showed that Eucalyptus globulus L. registered higher emissions in the years 2014-2017, followed by Pinus radiata and Alnus acuminata. These emissions are due to the vegetation cover covering each species. The analysis of volatile organic compounds in forest plantations in air is directly related to the emissions represented in the environment and correlated with the meteorological variables of temperature, global solar radiation and wind velocity. The proposed method manages to estimate concentrations of monoterpenes and volatile organic compounds for the two examined seasons, presenting the influence of the species introduced in this study such as Eucalyptus globulus L. and Pinus radiata, with a reduction in their emissions (less area found in the year 2017, with respect to 2014). However, the emission of Alnus acuminata can be quantified only in 2017, since in 2014 no records of this species were found. Conclusions: Volatile organic compound concentrations in the air are directly related to the emissions represented spatially and correlated with the meteorological variables of temperature, global solar radiation and wind velocity.
Highlights
The atmosphere contains many gases which, when presented in concentrations higher than normal, are poisonous to humans, animals and are harmful to plants; gases such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur (SOx), hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide (CO) and a wide variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are considered primary pollutants, because they are emitted directly from a source
The objective of this study is to make an approximate quantification of the emissions of natural volatile organic compounds from the species Pinus radiata, Eucalyptus globulus L. and Alnus acuminata in the district, by the variation of plant coverings obtained based on spectral signatures, temperature analysis of the years 2014–2017 and application of the emission model proposed by Guenther
Evaluation of representative spectral signatures In the spectral signature of Eucalyptus globulus L., the reflectance level in the vegetative states does not differ significantly in the range comprising the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI); the highest peak of the sapling state has a reflectance of 72.18% and a timber of 72.27%15
Summary
The atmosphere contains many gases which, when presented in concentrations higher than normal, are poisonous to humans, animals and are harmful to plants; gases such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur (SOx), hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide (CO) and a wide variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are considered primary pollutants, because they are emitted directly from a source. The population of the rural areas of the Ecuadorian Highlands, including Riobamba, has been dedicated to agroforestry crops with commercial purposes[5] Some of these plant species are exotic, which in addition to causing negative effects to the soil, emit polluting gases that react in the atmosphere, giving rise to the formation of new compounds that may have negative effects on humans[6]. The aim of this research is to quantify the emissions of natural volatile organic compounds produced by the forest species: Eucalyptus globulus L., Pinus radiata and Alnus acuminata in Riobamba, Ecuador. Results: Mathematical calculation of emissions in Riobamba showed that Eucalyptus globulus L. registered higher emissions in the years 2014-2017, followed by Pinus radiata and Alnus acuminata These emissions are due to the vegetation cover covering each species. Conclusions: Volatile organic compound concentrations in the air are Invited Reviewers version 1
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