Abstract
Spatial monitoring campaigns of volatile organic compounds were carried out in two similarly sized urban industrial cities, Windsor and Sarnia, ON, Canada. For Windsor, data were obtained for all four seasons at approximately 50 sites in each season (winter, spring, summer, and fall) over a three-year period (2004, 2005, and 2006) for a total of 12 sampling sessions. Sampling in Sarnia took place at 37 monitoring sites in fall 2005. In both cities, passive sampling was done using 3M 3500 organic vapor samplers. This paper characterizes benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o, and (m + p)-xylene (BTEX) concentrations and relationships among BTEX species in the two cities during the fall sampling periods. BTEX concentration levels and rank order among the species were similar between the two cities. In Sarnia, the relationships between the BTEX species varied depending on location. Correlation analysis between land use and concentration ratios showed a strong influence from local industries. Use one of the ratios between the BTEX species to diagnose photochemical age may be biased due to point source emissions, for example, 53 tonnes of benzene and 86 tonnes of toluene in Sarnia. However, considering multiple ratios leads to better conclusions regarding photochemical aging. Ratios obtained in the sampling campaigns showed significant deviation from those obtained at central monitoring stations, with less difference in the (m + p)/E ratio but better overall agreement in Windsor than in Sarnia.
Highlights
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and (m + p)xylene (BTEX), have been the focus of several recent studies [1,2,3,4] due to the adverse health effects, including cancer, associated with their exposure
The mean values for each species were similar between the two cities, the differences varying from 22% and 14% to less than 5% for other BTEX concentrations
The overall rank order and values of the BTEX concentrations, correlations, and ratios were found to be similar in two southwestern Ontario cities, Windsor and Sarnia
Summary
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and (m + p)xylene (BTEX), have been the focus of several recent studies [1,2,3,4] due to the adverse health effects, including cancer, associated with their exposure. The geography of both cities is relatively flat, with elevations above sea level of 190 and 191 m, respectively. In 2005, the annual average temperatures differed by 3% between the two cities and the relative humidity by 16% (with Sarnia experiencing higher humidity levels). The wind is predominantly from the north and south for Sarnia and from the south and southwest for Windsor [6]. This means the two cities are comparable in terms of land use, climate, and geography
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