Industrial Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions Research Articles

Dynamic simulation and analysis of dichloromethane-acetone, dichloromethane-trichloromethane and dichloromethane-toluene VOC mixture abatement systems under transient feed conditions

Minimisation of environmental footprint in line with sustainability goals rests at the top of the agenda of the pharmaceutical industry. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), while essential to primary pharmaceutical manufacturing, are solvents whose emissions pose a risk to human health and ecosystems. Adsorption on activated carbon beds is an established technology for end of pipe emissions control, which, however, faces efficiency limitations by quick and irregular bed saturation due to complex, transient feeds. This study employs a validated nonisothermal, multicomponent adsorption model to quantitatively assess the exact effect and potential value of waste stream feed sequencing towards activated carbon bed utilisation optimisation. Our results indicate that gradual increase of dichloromethane feed concentration in combination with a low, constant inlet concentration of the strongly adsorbing component leads to the latest breakthrough onset for the dichloromethane-acetone, dichloromethane-chloroform and dichloromethane-toluene mixtures. Transient vs. constant feeds usage and their interplay clearly affects bed behaviour, paving the way to industrial VOC emission abatement scheduling and process optimisation.

Spatiotemporal distribution, source apportionment and health risk assessment of atmospheric volatile organic compounds using passive air samplers in a typical coastal area, China

To fully understand source characteristics and human health effects of atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs), it is of great importance to implement long-term measurements, precise source apportionment and simulation. In this study, a 12-month measurement of VOCs was conducted in a coastal area in East China by a novel passive air sampler (PAS). A total of 28 VOC species, mainly in groups of aromatics and halohydrocarbons were observed. The monthly average concentrations of TVOC were as follows: industrial sites (154.10–727.19 μg m−3) > business sites (65.83–86.96 μg m−3) > residential sites (59.63–60.05 μg m−3) > background site (57.62 μg m−3). Their seasonal variation characteristics were: winter > spring > autumn > summer, which was more apparent at industrial sites due to human activities. Six VOC sources including industrial processes, organic solvents, dyeing, plastic synthesis, traffic emissions, and pesticides identified by the positive matrix factorization model compared favorably with the local emissions at industrial sites. Bromoform, hexachloro-1,3-butadiene, C1–C3 halogenated alkanes and benzene homologs could be the important indicators of industrial VOC emissions. The halohydrocarbons and aromatics were the major contributors to the ozone formation potential (OFP) and secondary organic aerosol potential (SOAP) in industrial areas, respectively. Both of OFP and SOAP have their maximum values in winter due to high VOC concentrations. Health risk assessment indicated that a high probability of non-carcinogenic risk (HI > 1) was in the region at 10 m height and 50m radius, and minor carcinogenic risk (CR > 10−6) was in the region at 70 m height and 1000 m radius. Among all the compounds, 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane was the largest contributor with the individual HI value (17.99) and carcinogenic risk (5.34 × 10−3) at the peak. In this study, the PAS as a sampling tool was proven to be reliable and efficient for long-term measurements in coastal areas. It is worth to have further studies to promote passive sampling as an alternative to VOCs monitoring methods.

Socioeconomic drivers and mitigating strategies of volatile organic compounds emissions in China's industrial sector

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions are becoming an increasingly serious problem in China, but little is known about the industry-specific mitigating strategies of VOCs. Using the generalized Divisia index method (GDIM) and a panel data set of China's 30 provincial-level regions from 2008 to 2017, this study is the first to explore the socioeconomic drivers of industrial VOCs emission changes in China and its 30 provincial-level regions. The contributions of provincial factors to national VOCs emission changes are compared, and each effect from 30 provincial-level regions is analyzed in detail. The results show that China's industrial VOCs emission increase over 2008–2017 was largely driven by investment scale and output scale, which was offset by the emission intensity of output, the emission intensity of investment, investment efficiency, and energy intensity. Moreover, each effect greatly varies among China's 30 provincial-level regions. The investment scale in Shandong has the largest contribution to the increase of national industrial VOCs emissions while the emission intensity of energy in Ningxia has the least contribution. Accordingly, regional disparity should be considered for formulating the strategies in aspects of investment, energy, and technology for China's industrial sector to mitigate VOCs emissions.

A review of whole-process control of industrial volatile organic compounds in China

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play an important role in the formation of ground-level ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA), and they have been key issues in current air pollution prevention and control in China. Considerable attention has been paid to industrial activities due to their large and relatively complex VOCs emissions. The present research aims to provide a comprehensive review on whole-process control of industrial VOCs, which mainly includes source reduction, collection enhancement and end-pipe treatments. Lower VOCs materials including water-borne ones are the keys to source substitution in industries related to coating and solvent usage, leak detection and repair (LDAR) should be regarded as an efficient means of source reduction in refining, petrochemical and other chemical industries. Several types of VOCs collection methods such as gas-collecting hoods, airtight partitions and others are discussed, and airtight collection at negative pressure yields the best collection efficiency. Current end-pipe treatments like UV oxidation, low-temperature plasma, activated carbon adsorption, combustion, biodegradation, and adsorption-combustion are discussed in detail. Finally, several recommendations are made for future advanced treatment and policy development in industrial VOCs emission control.

Characteristics of Industrial Volatile Organic Compounds(VOCs) Emission in China from 2011 to 2019

In order to better understand the industrial volatile organic compounds(VOCs) emissions in China in recent years, an industrial VOCs emission inventory was developed from 2011 to 2019, based on the dynamic emission factors method and the comprehensive source classification system. The results showed that VOCs emissions increased first from 11122.7 kt in 2011 to 13397.9 kt in 2017, and then decreased to 13247.0 kt in 2019. The emission structure of the four source categories changed. The contribution from basic organic chemical industries, gasoline storage and transportation, manufacturing(i.e., coatings, inks, pigments, and similar products), and industrial protective coatings continued to increase. On the contrary, the contributions of oil and natural gas processing, automobile, and container manufacturing industries declined over the study period. Among the industrial emissions in China in 2019, industrial coating, printing, and basic organic chemical industries emitted large amounts of VOCs(accounting for 39.2% of the total emission), and because their contribution became increasingly prominent since 2011, these sectors will be the key emission sources in the future. With respect to the spatial distribution in 2019, East China and South China had the largest VOCs emissions. Shandong, Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang were the four provinces that contributed the most, accounting for 40.6% of the total VOCs emissions.

Spatial distribution of health risks for residents located close to solvent-consuming industrial VOC emission sources

Emissions derived from the consumption of organic solvents have been proven to be the primary industrial source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In conjunction with epidemiologic studies, water-based paints (WBPs) and solvent-based paints (SBPs) were selected as representatives of newly developed solvents and traditional solvents, respectively, to simulate the effects of consuming solvents emitted during industrial production. And non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks to residents near emission sources were studied in detail. The results showed that the spatial distribution of health risks varied with meteorological conditions and type of emission source, and the prevailing wind direction strongly affected the distribution range and shape of the influenced area. The areas of influence maximized on heavy-polluting days for both WBP and SBP emission sources with the total span reaching 804 m and 16 km, respectively; meanwhile, the areas of influence for carcinogenic risk resulting from WBP emission sources were 1.2 and 2.3 times greater than those measured on fine and rainy days, respectively, and 1.8 and 2.9 times greater for SBP emission sources. Compared with WBPs, the total spans of negatively influenced regions resulting from SBP emission sources were 10.4, 12.5 and 19.9 times greater on fine, rainy and heavy-polluting days, respectively. Therefore, carcinogenic risk was the dominant health threat for populations residing close to solvent-consuming industrial emission sources. The findings suggest that newly developed solvents are capable of significantly reducing consequent health threats, nevertheless, they could still pose occasional threats to nearby residents under specific meteorological conditions.

Analysis of Industrial VOCs Emission Inventory and Countermeasures in Xiamen

Based on data from industrial activities and environmental surveys in the six districts of Xiamen, the emission inventory of industrially sourced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from eight industries in the six districts of Xiamen was calculated for 2019 by applying the emission factor analysis method. The spatial distribution pattern of VOC emission intensity in the six districts of Xiamen was analyzed. VOCs treatment technologies applied in the industries in the VOCs emission inventory were analyzed and countermeasures for improving VOC control were proposed based on the survey of the industries. The results showed that the total VOCs production and VOCs emission from industrial sources in Xiamen was 16027.88 t and 5514.58 t in 2019, respectively. Among them, the VOCs emission from Haicang, Tong'an, Xiang'an, and Jimei districts outside Xiamen Island were 1648.35, 2111.13, 667.52, and 750.48 t, respectively. Fewer VOC emissions from Xiamen Island were observed, which included 292.42 and 44.68 t from Huli and Siming districts, respectively. Except for the Huli District, the spatial distribution of emissions showed a spatial characteristic that the VOCs emission intensities outside Xiamen Island are higher than that of Xiamen Island. Among the eight industries in Xiamen, VOCs emissions were mainly from coating, printing, chemical, and rubber industries, which accounted for 51.21%, 20.18%, 13.63%, and 10.67%, respectively, of the total emissions. The analytic results of the VOCs waste gas disposal technique in Xiamen indicate that, from the perspective of source control, enterprises can effectively control the generation and emission of the VOCs at the source by using low (zero) raw materials. For the terminal disposal procedure, the actual disposal efficiency of UV photolysis/photocatalysis, low-temperature plasma, and biological methods are all lower than 80%, and that of the combined technique of adsorption and catalytic combustion, and the combustion method are both higher than 90%.

Industrial Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Emission Inventory in China

An industrial volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emission inventory was developed in China in 2018. It was based on the emission factors method, using a revised and updated source classification system and emission factors of key industrial sources. Results showed that the total industrial VOCs emission in China in 2018 reached as high as 12698 kt. Processes using products containing VOCs were the largest contributors, accounting for 59% of the total emission. The industrial coating industry, printing, the basic organic chemical industry, gasoline storage and transport, and the oil refinery industry were the five largest emitters, accounting for 54% of the total emission. Guangdong, Shandong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu were the four largest emission contributors, contributing to 41% of the total emission. Hainan, Ningxia, Tibet, Heilongjiang, and Xinjiang showed the largest VOCs emission intensities, with more than 80 t·(100 million yuan)-1. Processes using products containing VOCs were the main emission contributors in most provinces. The uncertainty for the total industrial VOCs emission in 2018, based on a Monte Carlo simulation, was[-32%, 48%] at the 95% confidence interval.

Study on emissions of volatile organic compounds from a typical coking chemical plant in China

Coking chemical industry associated with high energy consumption and high pollution emits significant amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to atmosphere, but is often ignored. This article reports a new study on emissions of VOCs from a typical coking chemical plant. Results show that about 70 species of VOCs including alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons and oxygenates are detected, naphthalene and benzene could be used as the emission markers. Compared to coking stage, gas purifying stage is found to have 4 times more total concentrations of VOCs, in which condensing and blasting process is found to be the largest contributor with 77% ozone formation potential (OFP) contribution. Emission control measures currently used are insufficient and inefficient to reduce VOCs to meet regulatory emission standards. Further, by using a proposed integrated emission factor of 2.652 g/kg coke, the coking chemical industry in China was estimated to account for about 7.8–20% of total historical industrial VOCs emissions, and about 1241 Gg of VOCs were emitted in 2019. A large proportion is emitted from the northern China with a distinctive spatial distribution. Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, and Shannxi provinces are the top four emitters. It is suggested that more stringent and efficient measures should be taken on the coking chemical industry, not just on the coking processes, but also on the gas purifying processes.

Improved emissions inventory and VOCs speciation for industrial OFP estimation in China

Ozone (O3) pollution is becoming increasingly serious in China. Reactivity-based control of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is an efficient method of alleviating O3 pollution. In this study, an improved industrial VOCs emissions inventory for China from 2011 to 2018 and local source profiles for six specific industries were developed to improve estimation of ozone formation potential (OFP). The results indicated that average annual growth rate for industrial VOCs emissions during 2015–2018 was lower than 2011–2014, which could be related to China's industrial structural upgrade and implementation of VOCs source control during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. The industrial coating, printing, basic organic chemical, gasoline storage and transport, and oil refinery industries were the key sources of VOCs emissions. M/p-xylene, toluene, ethyl benzene, propene, o-xylene, ethene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, m-ethyl toluene, isopentane, and 1-butene were the top 10 species in terms of OFP. The top 20 species based on OFP accounted for an estimated 85% of total OFP and only 59% of emissions. The industrial coating, printing, basic organic chemical, oil refinery industries and other five sectors were the top 10 sources in terms of OFP, which together contributed 81% of total OFP. Priority should be given to the top 20 or more species with high reactivity and the top 10 sources based on OFP for future O3 reductions in China.

A Spatial-Temporal Resolved Validation of Source Apportionment by Measurements of Ambient VOCs in Central China.

Understanding the sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is essential in the implementation of abatement measures of ground-level ozone and secondary organic aerosols. In this study, we conducted offline VOC measurements at residential, industrial, and background sites in Wuhan City from July 2016 to June 2017. Ambient samples were simultaneously collected at each site and were analyzed using a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection system. The highest mixing ratio of total VOCs was measured at the industrial site, followed by the residential, and background sites. Alkanes constituted the largest percentage (>35%) in the mixing ratios of quantified VOCs at the industrial and residential sites, followed by oxy-organics and alkenes (15–25%).The values of aromatics and halohydrocarbons were less than 15%. By contrast, the highest values of oxy-organics accounted for more than 30%. The model of positive matrix factorization was applied to identify the VOC sources and quantify the relative contributions of various sources. Gasoline-related emission (the combination of gasoline exhaust and gas vapor) was the most important VOC-source in the industrial and residential areas, with a relative contribution of 32.1% and 40.4%, respectively. Industrial process was the second most important source with a relative contribution ranging from 30.0% to 40.7%. The relative contribution of solvent usage was 6.5–22.3%. Meanwhile, the relative contribution of biogenic emission was only within the range of 2.0–5.0%. These findings implied the importance of controlling gasoline-related and industrial VOC emissions in reducing the VOC emissions in Wuhan.

Allowance and allocation of industrial volatile organic compounds emission in China for year 2020 and 2030

As an effective pollution control method, emission allowance and allocation just implemented in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) control strategy of China in 2016. This article presents a possible way to set the emission allowance targets and establishes an allowance allocation model for the object year, 2020 and 2030, using 2010 as the reference year. On the basis of regression and scenario analysis method, the emission allowance targets were designed, which were 17.902Tg and 18.224Tg for 2020 and 2030, with an increasing rate of 28.75% and 31.06% compared to 2010. From the perspective of industries, processes using VOCs-containing products, like machinery and equipment manufacturing, would continue to be the most significant industrial VOCs emission sources in the future of China. Four allocation indicators were selected, which are per capita GDP of each province, per capita industrial VOCs emission of each province, the economic contribution of industrial sector to regional economy of each province, and the emission intensity per land area of each province, respectively. Based on information entropy, the weights of the indicators were calculated and an emission allocation model was established, and the results showed that provinces like Shandong, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Fujian were calculated to obtain more emission allowance while burden more reduction responsibility. Meanwhile, provinces like Guizhou, Ningxia, Hainan, Qinghai and Xizang were on the contrary. This paper suggests governments to enhance or ease to industrial VOCs reduction burden of each province in order to stimulate its economy or change its way of economy development.

Reactivity-based industrial volatile organic compounds emission inventory and its implications for ozone control strategies in China

Increasingly serious ozone (O3) pollution, along with decreasing NOx emission, is creating a big challenge in the control of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in China. More efficient and effective measures are assuredly needed for controlling VOCs. In this study, a reactivity-based industrial VOCs emission inventory was established in China based on the concept of ozone formation potential (OFP). Key VOCs species, major VOCs sources, and dominant regions with high reactivity were identified. Our results show that the top 15 OFP-based species, including m/p-xylene, toluene, propene, o-xylene, and ethyl benzene, contribute 69% of the total OFP but only 30% of the total emission. The architectural decoration industry, oil refinery industry, storage and transport, and seven other sources constituted the top 10 OFP subsectors, together contributing a total of 85%. The provincial and spatial characteristics of OFP are generally consistent with those of mass-based inventory. The implications for O3 control strategies in China are discussed. We propose a reactivity-based national definition of VOCs and low-reactive substitution strategies, combined with evaluations of health risks. Priority should be given to the top 15 or more species with high reactivity through their major emission sources. Reactivity-based policies should be flexibly applied for O3 mitigation based on the sensitivity of O3 formation conditions.

Characteristics and Uncertainty of Industrial VOCs Emissions in China

An industrial sector-based source volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emission inventory was developed for the year 2011 in China with the use of ‘emission factor method’. Based on the concept of source-tracing and a ‘bottom-up’ approach, it is estimated that the total emissions of industrial VOCs were 15.8 Tg for the year 2011, 17.7% of which came from production of VOCs, 8.4% came from storage and transport, 14.2% came from industrial processes using VOCs as raw materials, and 59.7% came from use of VOCs-containing products. Industrial VOCs emissions in East China were the largest contributors, comprising 40% of total. Four kinds of sources including furniture manufacturing, petroleum refining, machinery equipment manufacturing and printing industry took up 53.8% of total emissions. Therefore, more efficient VOCs control equipment should be paid attention to and promoted. A quantitative approach, the bootstrap simulation and Monte Carlo sampling, was used to analyze uncertainties, there is relatively medium uncertainty with an error of –42% to +71%, ranging from 9.2 to 27.2 Tg on the 95% confidence interval. To reduce VOCs emission inventory uncertainties requires giving priority to research on conducting more measurements of key sources. It’s imperative to establish domestic emission factor database.

Characterization and assessment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from typical industries

VOCs play an increasingly important role in affecting air quality and threatening human health in China in recent years, where industry activities show a significant contribution to VOCs emission. In this article we report our long term study of industrial VOCs emissions of six major industries (vehicle manufacturing, printing, equipment coating, electronic manufacturing, furniture manufacturing and bio-pharming) on the aspects of emission characteristics, environmental impact and health risk assessment, and control challenge analysis with the purpose to obtain in-depth understanding of industry VOCs emissions and offer some original basements for national control and management of industry VOCs emissions. This study shows that all these industries give middle or low emission with total VOCs concentration less than 1000 mg/m3 at each exhaust pipe. Benzenes, esters, alcohols, ketones, alkanes, chloroalkanes and alkenes were detected as the major emission components and the most frequently monitored VOCs were benzenes, which varied obviously with different processes and industries. The environmental impact assessments indicate that vehicle manufacturing and benzenes should be prior controlled with the purpose to reduce air pollution. While, health risk assessments suggest that furniture manufacturing and chloroalkanes should be firstly controlled. Control analysis indicates that developing technologies with low cost and high efficiency and establishing and completing specific industry emission standards/regulations are the two key issues in VOCs emission management at present stage.

The influence of natural and anthropogenic secondary sources on the glyoxal global distribution

Abstract. Glyoxal, the smallest dicarbonyl, which has recently been observed from space, is expected to provide indications on volatile organic compounds (VOC) oxidation and secondary aerosol formation in the troposphere. Glyoxal (CHOCHO) is known to be mostly of natural origin and is produced during biogenic VOC oxidation. However, a number of anthropogenically emitted hydrocarbons, like acetylene and aromatics, have been positively identified as CHOCHO precursors. The present study investigates the contribution of pollution to the CHOCHO levels by taking into account the secondary chemical formation of CHOCHO from precursors emitted from biogenic, anthropogenic and biomass burning sources. The impact of potential primary land emissions of CHOCHO is also investigated. A global 3-dimensional chemistry transport model of the troposphere (TM4-ECPL) able to simulate the gas phase chemistry coupled with all major aerosol components is used. The secondary anthropogenic contribution from fossil fuel and industrial VOCs emissions oxidation to the CHOCHO columns is found to reach 20–70% in the industrialized areas of the Northern Hemisphere and 3–20% in the tropics. This secondary CHOCHO source is on average three times larger than that from oxidation of VOCs from biomass burning sources. The chemical production of CHOCHO is calculated to equal to about 56 Tg y−1 with 70% being produced from biogenic hydrocarbons oxidation, 17% from acetylene, 11% from aromatic chemistry and 2% from ethene and propene. CHOCHO is destroyed in the troposphere primarily by reaction with OH radicals (23%) and by photolysis (63%), but it is also removed from the atmosphere through wet (8%) and dry deposition (6%). Potential formation of secondary organic aerosol through CHOCHO losses on/in aerosols and clouds is neglected here due to the significant uncertainties associated with the underlying chemistry. The global annual mean CHOCHO burden and lifetime in the model domain are estimated to be 0.02 Tg (equal to the global burden seen by SCIAMACHY over land for the year 2005) and about 3 h, respectively. The model results are compared with satellite observations of CHOCHO columns. When accounting only for the secondary sources of CHOCHO in the model, the model underestimates CHOCHO columns observed by satellites. This is attributed to an overestimate of CHOCHO sinks or a missing global source of about 20 Tg y−1. Using the current primary emissions of CHOCHO from biomass burning together with the anthropogenic combustion sources of about 7 Tg y−1 leads to an overestimate by the model over hot spot areas.