Characteristics and Sources of VOCs During a Period of High Ozone Levels in Kunming, China
The increasing levels of ozone pollution have become a significant environmental issue in urban areas worldwide. Previous studies have confirmed that the urban ozone pollution in China is mainly controlled by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) rather than nitrogen oxides. Therefore, a study on the em...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Chuantao Huang Yufei Ling Yunbo Chen Lei Tong Yuan Xue Chunli Liu Hang Xiao Cenyan Huang |
| author_facet | Chuantao Huang Yufei Ling Yunbo Chen Lei Tong Yuan Xue Chunli Liu Hang Xiao Cenyan Huang |
| author_sort | Chuantao Huang |
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| description | The increasing levels of ozone pollution have become a significant environmental issue in urban areas worldwide. Previous studies have confirmed that the urban ozone pollution in China is mainly controlled by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) rather than nitrogen oxides. Therefore, a study on the emission characteristics and source analysis of VOCs is important for controlling urban ozone pollution. In this study, hourly concentrations of 57 VOC species in four groups were obtained in April 2022, a period of high ozone pollution in Kunming, China. The ozone formation potential analysis showed that the accumulated reactive VOCs significantly contributed to the subsequent ozone formation, particularly aromatics (44.16%) and alkanes (32.46%). In addition, the ozone production rate in Kunming is mainly controlled by VOCs based on the results of the empirical kinetic modeling approach (K<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">NOx</sub>/K<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">VOCs</sub> = 0.25). The hybrid single-particle Lagrangian integrated trajectory model and polar coordinate diagram showed high VOC and ozone concentrations from the southwest outside the province (50.28%) and the south in local areas (12.78%). Six factors were obtained from the positive matrix factorization model: vehicle exhaust (31.80%), liquefied petroleum gas usage (24.16%), the petrochemical industry (17.81%), fuel evaporation (11.79%), coal burning (7.47%), and solvent usage (6.97%). These findings underscore that reducing anthropogenic VOC emissions and strengthening controls on the related sources could provide a scientifically robust strategy for mitigating ozone pollution in Kunming. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
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| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-a27c87fbca4e4568acb48ac6e32eacf52025-07-25T13:13:40ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332025-07-0116787410.3390/atmos16070874Characteristics and Sources of VOCs During a Period of High Ozone Levels in Kunming, ChinaChuantao Huang0Yufei Ling1Yunbo Chen2Lei Tong3Yuan Xue4Chunli Liu5Hang Xiao6Cenyan Huang7Zhejiang Provincial Top Discipline of Biological Engineering (Level A), College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, ChinaZhejiang Provincial Top Discipline of Biological Engineering (Level A), College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, ChinaAir Pollution Prevention and Control Research Center, Kunming Research Academy of Eco-Environmental Sciences, Kunming 650032, ChinaCenter for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Fujian Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Ozone Pollution Prevention, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaYunnan Guoke Environmental Protection Co., Ltd., Kunming 650206, ChinaCenter for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Fujian Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Ozone Pollution Prevention, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, ChinaZhejiang Provincial Top Discipline of Biological Engineering (Level A), College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, ChinaThe increasing levels of ozone pollution have become a significant environmental issue in urban areas worldwide. Previous studies have confirmed that the urban ozone pollution in China is mainly controlled by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) rather than nitrogen oxides. Therefore, a study on the emission characteristics and source analysis of VOCs is important for controlling urban ozone pollution. In this study, hourly concentrations of 57 VOC species in four groups were obtained in April 2022, a period of high ozone pollution in Kunming, China. The ozone formation potential analysis showed that the accumulated reactive VOCs significantly contributed to the subsequent ozone formation, particularly aromatics (44.16%) and alkanes (32.46%). In addition, the ozone production rate in Kunming is mainly controlled by VOCs based on the results of the empirical kinetic modeling approach (K<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">NOx</sub>/K<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">VOCs</sub> = 0.25). The hybrid single-particle Lagrangian integrated trajectory model and polar coordinate diagram showed high VOC and ozone concentrations from the southwest outside the province (50.28%) and the south in local areas (12.78%). Six factors were obtained from the positive matrix factorization model: vehicle exhaust (31.80%), liquefied petroleum gas usage (24.16%), the petrochemical industry (17.81%), fuel evaporation (11.79%), coal burning (7.47%), and solvent usage (6.97%). These findings underscore that reducing anthropogenic VOC emissions and strengthening controls on the related sources could provide a scientifically robust strategy for mitigating ozone pollution in Kunming.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/874VOCsOzoneOFPEKMAPMF |
| spellingShingle | Chuantao Huang Yufei Ling Yunbo Chen Lei Tong Yuan Xue Chunli Liu Hang Xiao Cenyan Huang Characteristics and Sources of VOCs During a Period of High Ozone Levels in Kunming, China Atmosphere VOCs Ozone OFP EKMA PMF |
| title | Characteristics and Sources of VOCs During a Period of High Ozone Levels in Kunming, China |
| title_full | Characteristics and Sources of VOCs During a Period of High Ozone Levels in Kunming, China |
| title_fullStr | Characteristics and Sources of VOCs During a Period of High Ozone Levels in Kunming, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristics and Sources of VOCs During a Period of High Ozone Levels in Kunming, China |
| title_short | Characteristics and Sources of VOCs During a Period of High Ozone Levels in Kunming, China |
| title_sort | characteristics and sources of vocs during a period of high ozone levels in kunming china |
| topic | VOCs Ozone OFP EKMA PMF |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/874 |
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