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Developing the Maximum Incremental Reactivity for Volatile Organic Compounds in Major Cities of Central‐Eastern China.

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Title: Developing the Maximum Incremental Reactivity for Volatile Organic Compounds in Major Cities of Central‐Eastern China.
Authors: Zhang, Yingnan1 (AUTHOR), Xue, Likun1 (AUTHOR) xuelikun@sdu.edu.cn, Mu, Jiangshan1 (AUTHOR), Chen, Tianshu1 (AUTHOR), Li, Hong2 (AUTHOR), Gao, Jian2 (AUTHOR), Wang, Wenxing1,2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres. 11/27/2022, Vol. 127 Issue 22, p1-16. 16p.
Subject Terms: *Volatile organic compounds, *Tropospheric ozone, *Climate change & health, *Air pollution, Metropolis, Metropolitan areas
Geographic Terms: China, Guangzhou (China)
Abstract: The Chinese government has identified volatile organic compounds (VOCs) management as a key priority in the fourteenth Five‐Year Plan (2021–2025) to alleviate ground‐level ozone (O3) air pollution. To provide scientific support for VOCs management, we developed the localized maximum incremental reactivity (MIR) for 57 VOCs species (prescribed by the Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMS)) in eight representative cities and averaged urban conditions over Central‐Eastern China, with application of the Master Chemical Mechanism box model coupled with solid observational constraints. Though the exact environmental conditions differ among cities, all of them are in VOCs‐limited O3 formation regime, underlining the importance of VOCs to O3 formation. The MIRs constructed based on regional average scenarios are well representative of those constructed based on individual cities, with Guangzhou as an exception due to its vast variance in chemical environments. The localized MIRs displayed the same overall pattern as the U.S. MIRs, but differed largely with respect to a few species (especially alkenes), owing to a combined influence of many factors. We applied the localized MIRs to quantify the concentration‐weighted ozone formation potential (OFP), which elucidate the importance of aromatics to O3 formation in the Chinese metropolitan areas. The top 10 key VOC species together with their explicitly tracked emission sources were determined, which could offer references for the formulation of effective control policies. The localized MIRs developed in this study can be applied to quantify OFPs for VOCs in Chinese cities, which has a great significance to VOCs management and O3 pollution control. Plain Language Summary: Tropospheric ozone is a key component of photochemical smog and would adversely affect human health and climate change. The ozone formation in Chinese metropolitan areas is usually limited by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that include a large variety of species. Evaluating the reactivity of individual VOC species and their effects on ozone formation has been hindered due to the lack of localized Maximum Incremental Reactivity (MIR) values. In this study, we addressed this issue by developing the MIRs based upon a combination of representative Chinese urban conditions and detailed chemical box modeling. We reveal that regional average MIRs are well representative of MIRs for most individual cities via inter‐comparison of the localized results in China. In contrast, there is a noneligible difference in MIRs between China and the U.S., owing to influence of the chemical mechanisms and atmospheric environmental conditions. These findings have great significance for VOCs control in China and other countries suffering from serious ozone air pollution. Key Points: Localized maximum incremental reactivities (MIRs) were established for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in major Chinese metropolitan areasRegional average MIRs are well representative of MIRs for most individual citiesLocalized MIRs and US MIRs shared a similar pattern but differed for a few species [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Abstract:The Chinese government has identified volatile organic compounds (VOCs) management as a key priority in the fourteenth Five‐Year Plan (2021–2025) to alleviate ground‐level ozone (O3) air pollution. To provide scientific support for VOCs management, we developed the localized maximum incremental reactivity (MIR) for 57 VOCs species (prescribed by the Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMS)) in eight representative cities and averaged urban conditions over Central‐Eastern China, with application of the Master Chemical Mechanism box model coupled with solid observational constraints. Though the exact environmental conditions differ among cities, all of them are in VOCs‐limited O3 formation regime, underlining the importance of VOCs to O3 formation. The MIRs constructed based on regional average scenarios are well representative of those constructed based on individual cities, with Guangzhou as an exception due to its vast variance in chemical environments. The localized MIRs displayed the same overall pattern as the U.S. MIRs, but differed largely with respect to a few species (especially alkenes), owing to a combined influence of many factors. We applied the localized MIRs to quantify the concentration‐weighted ozone formation potential (OFP), which elucidate the importance of aromatics to O3 formation in the Chinese metropolitan areas. The top 10 key VOC species together with their explicitly tracked emission sources were determined, which could offer references for the formulation of effective control policies. The localized MIRs developed in this study can be applied to quantify OFPs for VOCs in Chinese cities, which has a great significance to VOCs management and O3 pollution control. Plain Language Summary: Tropospheric ozone is a key component of photochemical smog and would adversely affect human health and climate change. The ozone formation in Chinese metropolitan areas is usually limited by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that include a large variety of species. Evaluating the reactivity of individual VOC species and their effects on ozone formation has been hindered due to the lack of localized Maximum Incremental Reactivity (MIR) values. In this study, we addressed this issue by developing the MIRs based upon a combination of representative Chinese urban conditions and detailed chemical box modeling. We reveal that regional average MIRs are well representative of MIRs for most individual cities via inter‐comparison of the localized results in China. In contrast, there is a noneligible difference in MIRs between China and the U.S., owing to influence of the chemical mechanisms and atmospheric environmental conditions. These findings have great significance for VOCs control in China and other countries suffering from serious ozone air pollution. Key Points: Localized maximum incremental reactivities (MIRs) were established for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in major Chinese metropolitan areasRegional average MIRs are well representative of MIRs for most individual citiesLocalized MIRs and US MIRs shared a similar pattern but differed for a few species [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:2169897X
DOI:10.1029/2022JD037296