Source apportionment of volatile organic compounds measured in Edmonton, Alberta

Abstract From 2003 to 2009, whole air samples were collected at two sites in Edmonton and analyzed for over 77 volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs were sampled in the downtown area (Central site) and an industrial area on the eastern side of the city (East site). Concentrations of most VOCs were highest at the East site, with an average total VOC mass concentration of 221 μg m −3 . The average total VOC mass concentration at the Central site was 65 μg m −3 . The United States Environmental Protection Agency's positive matrix factorization receptor model (EPA PMF) was used to apportion ambient concentrations of VOCs into eleven factors, which were associated with emissions sources. On average, 94 and 99% of the measured mass were apportioned by PMF at the East and Central site, respectively. Factors include transportation combustion (gasoline and diesel), industrial sources (industrial evaporative, industrial feedstock, gasoline production/storage, industrial chemical use), mixed mobile and industrial (gasoline evaporative, fugitive butane), a biogenic source, a natural gas related source, and a factor that was associated with global background pollutants transported into the area. Transportation sources accounted for more than half of the reconstructed VOC mass concentration at the Central site, but less than 10% of the reconstructed mass concentration at the East site. By contrast, industrial sources accounted for ten times more of the reconstructed VOC mass concentration at the East site than at the Central site and were responsible for approximately 75% of the reconstructed VOC mass concentration observed at the East site. Of the six industrial factors identified at the East site, four were linked to petrochemical industry production and storage. The two largest contributors to the reconstructed VOC mass concentration at the East site were associated with fugitive emissions of volatile species (butanes, pentanes, hexane, and cyclohexane); together, these two factors accounted for more than 50% of the reconstructed VOC mass concentration at the East site in contrast to less than 2% of the reconstructed mass concentration at the Central site. Natural gas related emissions accounted for 10%–20% of the reconstructed mass concentration at both sites. Biogenic emissions and VOCs associated with well-mixed global background were less than 10% of the reconstructed VOC mass concentration at the Central site and less than 3% of the reconstructed mass concentration at the East site.