Characteristics and Source Apportionment of Ambient Volatile Organic Compounds in a Science Park in Central Taiwan

Jen-Hsuan Cheng,Kang-Shin Chen,Ming-Jui Hsieh

doi:10.4209/aaqr.2015.02.0114

Jen-Hsuan Cheng, Kang-Shin Chen + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2015.02.0114

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Abstract

ABSTRACTAir samples were collected concurrently at four sites using stainless steel canisters in a science park in central Taiwan. The airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were then analyzed using a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer (GC/MS). Eighteen volatile organic compounds (C1–C8) in six hydrocarbon groups were identified. Measurements reveal that the three dominant species were 2-butanone (8.60 ± 0.98 ppbv), toluene (6.13 ± 1.67 ppbv), and acetone (6.03 ± 2.79 ppbv), while most other species were present at a concentration of below 1.00 ppbv. On average, the most abundant hydrocarbon group was ketones (56.95%), followed by aromatic compounds (27.75%), alkanes (8.33%), fluoroalkanes (3.40%), chloroalkanes (2.47%), and nitrile compounds (1.10%). Principal component analysis (PCA) identified two components PC1 and PC2. Ten species in PC1 and eight species in PC2 had loadings of greater than 0.8, suggesting that the emission sources of PC1 were related to high-tech industries and traffic, and those of PC2 were related to fugitive emissions of organic solvents and refrigerants.

Highlights

High-tech industries, such as the integrated circuit industry, semiconductor industry, optoelectronic industry and biotech industry, are currently the main economic activities
The most abundant hydrocarbon group was ketones (56.95%), followed by aromatic compounds (27.75%), alkanes (8.33%), fluoroalkanes (3.40%), chloroalkanes (2.47%), and nitrile compounds (1.10%)
Studies have shown that toluene to benzene (T/B) ratio of approximately 2 is a good predictor of traffic exhaust (Tang et al, 2008; Civan et al, 2011; Wang et al, 2012); the T/B ratio increases with the emission strength of industrial source (Peng et al, 2013)

Summary

Introduction

High-tech industries, such as the integrated circuit industry, semiconductor industry, optoelectronic industry and biotech industry, are currently the main economic activities. Similar situations can be found in other industrial and developing countries (Su et al, 2006; Cai et al, 2010; Leuchner and Rappengluck 2010; Tiwari et al, 2010). Many works have demonstrated that oil refineries, chemical and plastic factories and semiconductor manufacturers are major sources of VOCs in the atmosphere (Nikolaou et al, 2002; Khwaja and Narang, 2008; Nian et al, 2008; Cai et al, 2010; Leuchner and Rappengluck, 2010; Yuan et al, 2010; Vega et al, 2011). Studies have shown that toluene to benzene (T/B) ratio of approximately 2 is a good predictor of traffic exhaust (Tang et al, 2008; Civan et al, 2011; Wang et al, 2012); the T/B ratio increases with the emission strength of industrial source (Peng et al, 2013)

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