High-resolution Emission Inventory of Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds from Anthropogenic Sources in the Yangtze River Delta Region

Abstract

A high-resolution emission inventory of anthropogenic active volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region was developed based on the local measurement of 41 cities in the region and the specific 4.4 database of EPA. The emission characteristics and composition of VOCs were analyzed. The ozone formation potential (OFP) and secondary organic aerosol formation potential (SOAP) of VOCs were calculated. The results showed that the total emission of anthropogenic VOCs in the YRD in 2017 was 4.9×106 t. The emission contributions of process sources, industrial solvent sources, mobile sources, domestic sources, storage and transportation sources, agricultural sources, and waste treatment sources were 34.3%, 27.1%, 19.5%, 9.7%, 6.1%, 2.5%, and 0.4%, respectively. Aromatic hydrocarbons and alkanes were the main components of VOCs, accounting for 25% of the total VOCs emissions in the region. The contribution rates of OFP from process sources, industrial solvent sources, mobile sources, and domestic sources were 38.3%, 21.5%, 16.4%, and 13.2%, respectively, and the contribution rates of SOAP were 26.2%, 34.1%, 18.1%, and 17.9%, respectively, which was basically consistent with the main contribution sources of VOCs emissions. The emission characteristics of the key industries in each city were obviously different. The key urban agglomeration of VOCs emission was mainly petrochemical industries and equipment manufacturing, whereas the northern part of the region was mainly wood furniture and other coating industries. The results showed that propylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, and ethylene were the main contribution sources of ozone, whereas toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylene, m-xylene, and p-xylene were the main contribution sources of secondary organic aerosols. In the next stage, the fine management of VOCs can be transformed into the main industries based on chemical reaction activity, which can give priority to the governance of key industries such as the chemical industry, petrochemical, automobile manufacturing, textile, wood, and furniture and can formulate different governance paths according to urban characteristics.