P. B.

Sanyal
National Environmental
Engineering Research Institute,
Kolkata Zonal Laboratory
 Criteria Pollutants
› Carbon Monoxide (CO)
› Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
› Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
› Ozone (O3)
› Lead (Pb)
› Particulate Matter
 Particulate Matter Less than 10 microns (PM10)
 Particulate Matter Less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5)
 Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) - historic PM contaminant
 Air Toxics
› Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s)
› Semi-volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs)
› Herbicides and pesticides
Clean Air Act Amendment of USEPA in Title III defines 188
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs).
Most organic HAPs are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

What are VOCs

VOCs are organic substances which are volatile and
are photochemically reactive. VOCs are part of the
large hydrocarbon family
includes a long list of individual substances, many of
which are toxic & persistent
Their sources are both natural and anthropogenic
They are primary pollutants and interact with mostly
NOx and hydroxyl radicals to produce more than 100
secondary air pollutants
Classification of HAPs
Aromatic and aliphatic
hydrocarbons
Oxygenated organic compounds
Halo-organocompounds
Polycylic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Aliphatics & aromatic nitro
compounds
Inorganic compounds
Compounds containing metals/
metaloids
Radionuclides
Benzene, toluene, styrene; Hexane,
1,3-butadiene etc.
Formaldehyde, Methyl ethyl ketone,
Methyl tert butyl ether, phenol,
Hydroquinone etc.
Chloroform, carbontetrachloride,
hexachlorobenzene, halomethanes,
chlorobenzene, etc.
Naphthalene, Benzo(a)pyrene etc.
Diazomethane, Ethyl carbamate,
Nitrobenzene, 4-Nitrobiphenyl, 3,3'-
Dimethyl benzidine, etc.
Phosphorus, Phosgene, Phosphine,
hydrogen sulphides, HCl, HF,
cyanide compounds, etc.
Sb, As, Be, Cd, Cr, Co, Mn, Hg, Ni, Se,
etc.
EFFECTS OF VOCs
Precursor to ground level ozone &
photochemical smog NOx VOC
They are harmful to human beings and
ecosystem
Precursor to secondary fine particulate
Human health impacts
Nuisance effects, such as odours

O3 ( SMOG )
HENCE NEED TO CONTROL VOCS IN AIR
Why do we need to understand the sources of VOCs?

When an area experiences elevated concentrations of VOCs, particularly when the

concentrations are in exceedance of the standard, research and analysis is needed to
investigate the possible sources of VOCs and VOCs precursors leading to the high
concentrations.
• Monitoring staff need to know whether or not their sampling and analysis set up is
adequate to identify the VOCs and precursor species that are critical for identifying
potential sources in their area.
• Analysts need to be able to identify potential sources and meteorological conditions to
assist policy makers and modelers in developing control strategies.
• Modelers need to know how well current emission inventories and dispersion models
represent the ambient conditions so that they can model future control scenarios and
the effect on VOCs concentrations.
• Policy makers need to know what sources are the principal contributors to VOCs so
that appropriate controls on VOCs and precursor emissions can be developed and
implemented.
 Nature of Source
Type of Sources  Natural
 Stationary Sources  plant pollens
› Point sources  volcanic eruptions
› Area sources
 emissions from plants
 Mobile Sources  forest fires
 Anthropogenic
 transport sectors
 industrial processes
 power generation
 municipal incinerators
 mining and quarrying
 agriculture
 POINT  AREA
Stack or vent emissions Small point source
Regulatory threshold Below point source threshold
Impact due to emission magnitudeImpact due to source frequency
Example: Incinerator Example: Drycleaner
 FUGITIVE  BIOGENIC
Emissions not captured or vented Naturally occurring emission
Example: Aggregate pile
Cold solvent dip tank
 SOURCES OF VOCs IN AMBIENT AIR
Natural sources :
• Plants & vegetable emissions.
• Wetlands
• Termites & insects
• Ripening of fruits
• Fermentation process
• Volcanoes
• Coastal sites etc
Anthropogenic sources :
a) Stationary / point sources
• Industrial activities -.
• Landfill sites
• Water treatment plants
• Indoor sources
b) Mobile sources
• Transport activities
- Vehicular exhausts
- Evaporative emissions
 Classification of
VOC’s Sources

• Mobile or Stationary Sources

• Combustion or Non-combustion Sources
• Area Sources (pesticide spraying)
• Point Sources (stack)
• Volume Sources (leaking drums)
• Line Sources (automobiles)
 Categories of
VOC’s Sources

• Transportation (area)
• Fuel combustion / stationary source (point)
• Industrial process losses (point)
• Solid waste disposal, incineration (point)
• Miscellaneous (area)
Volatile Organic Evaporation of fuel
Compounds Incomplete combustion of fossil
fuel
Industry
Vehicular exhaust

Polycylic Aromatic Burning of fossil fuel

Hydrocarbons Industrial processes
Incineration of industrial and
municipal wastes
Road paving
Halo-organo Pesticides, insectisides
compounds Industry (pulp and paper, paint and
varnish, textile, metallurgy )
Incineration of municipal solid wastes

Polychlorinated Industry (plasticizers, paints, fire-proof

biphenyls compounds, textile materials)

Organo nitro Industries

compounds
 Source Contribution to Total VOC –Delhi
Others Auto Repair
Diesel Eng. Auto Repair Evaporative
1% 14% Degreasing
Exhaust Diesel Eng. 1% 13%
42% Degreasing 1%
3% Exhaust
49%

Petrol Pump-
Race Course Vehicle
Exhaust Open Vehicle
Open Composite Exhaust
Defecation
Defecation Natural Gas 14% Natural Gas
1% Composite
2% 24%
Commercial – Lajpat Nagar 11%
24%

Others
Diesel Eng. Auto Repair
1% Degreasing
Exhaust 16%
2% Road Asphalt Degreasing
40% Vehicle 3%
Exhaust Auto Repair 1% Evaporative Open
10%
Composite 1% Defecation
Others 17% 2%
7%
Evaporative
12% Natural Gas
Vehicle
3%
Exhaust
Composite
Open Natural Gas
8%
Defecation 15% Consumer Diesel Eng.
6% Products Exhaust
1% 55%
Degreasing
Residential – Mayur Vihar 3% Traffic Intersection –Raja Garden
Vehicle
Diesel Eng. Exhaust
Exhaust Composite
53% 21%

Open
Natural Gas Evaporative
Defecation 11%
11%
1%
NEERI Study
Industrial -Mayapuri
 Estimated Evaporative Emissions of VOCs
in Delhi from Various Sources

3.50E+08

3.00E+08

2.50E+08
Evaporation of Petrol

Emissions 2.00E+08
(kg/year)
1.50E+08

1.00E+08

5.00E+07

3.00E+07 0.00E+00
Running Loss Resting Loss Diurnal Losses Hot Soak

2.50E+07

2.00E+07
Evaporation of Solvents
Emisison
1.50E+07
(kg/year)

1.00E+07

5.00E+06

0.00E+00
Aerosols Household Toiletries Rubbering Windshield Polishes/ Adhesives Space Moth Laundry Dry Painting Printings
NEERI Study Products Washing Waxes Deodorants Control Detergent Cleaning
Sources Group Key species
Carpets, Aromatic and Styrene, Toluene
Adhesives aliphatic
Hydrocarbons

Furniture polish Trimethylpentane

Ethylbenzene, Xylenes
Paints, Thinner
Domestic fuel Polycylic Benzopyrene, chrysene,
combustion, dyes, Aromatic Acenaphthene, pyrene,
smoking, cooking, Hydrocarbons naphthalene,
newspaper, acenapthylene
plastics, pesticides
Sources Group Key species
Latex paints, paints, Oxygenated Dibutylphthalate,
cosmetics, organic MEK, formaldehyde
compounds
Pressed wood furniture Formldehyde,
acetone, hexanal
Hospital sterilizers Ethylene oxide
Chlorinated water Halo-organo Chloroform
Vinyl tiles compounds Benzyl Chloride
Dry cleaned cloths Tetrachloroethylene
Aerosol spray, dry-cleaning Trichloroethane
Moth crystals, deodorants Dichlorobenzene