[Pollution Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of VOCs in Areas Surrounding a Petrochemical Park in Shanghai].

ABSTRACT

To investigate the pollution characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the vicinity of a petrochemical park, the composition and concentration of VOCs was successively monitored by application of a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector in the residential area surrounding a petrochemical park in Shanghai in October 2017. Moreover, the maximum incremental reactive method was employed to estimate the O3-formation potential contributed by VOCs, and health risks were assessed. Results showed that during the observation period, TVOCs concentrations ranged from 16.4 µg·m-3 to 1947.8 µg·m-3 with an average concentration of 40.7 µg·m-3, whereas the average proportions of alkanes, alkene/alkynes, and aromatic hydrocarbons were 66.2%, 25.9%, and 7.9%, respectively. The diurnal variation of total VOCs concentration showed a monomodal change, with a peak concentration of 127.9 µg·m-3 at 0700, whereas the TVOCs had an average ozone formation potential (OFP) of 249.7 µg·m-3. Analysis of OFP indicated that trans-2-butene and ethylene were the most important species in ozone production with accountabilities for total OFP of 153.4 µg·m-3. Propylene, trans-2-butene, and ethylene were the key active species. Furthermore, health risk assessments revealed that no significant health risks had been caused by hexane, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and m-xylene.