High-resolution VOCs measurements and photochemical impact analysis for typical solid waste base in summer

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are critical pollutants studied extensively in the context of air quality. In this study, in order to ‌analyse the emission characteristics of VOCs from municipal domestic waste (MDW) at the final disposal stage and their impacts on the local environment, high temporal resolution monitoring of ozone (O₃) and 106 VOCs was carried out in the summer of 2021 at a typical solid waste disposal site in East China. The objectives were to ‌analyse VOCs pollution characteristics, identify major emission sources, and quantifying their O₃ production contribution. The findings reveal that the total VOC concentrations during the monitoring period range between 10.67 and 364.47 parts per billion (ppb), averaging 23.54 ppb. Among these, oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs), halogenated hydrocarbons, and alkanes are prevalent. Notably, the diurnal variation in VOC levels exhibited a distinct "bimodal" pattern, peaking at 05:00 and 21:00, with higher concentrations observed at night compared to daytime. Source analysis identified five primary VOC sources: waste incineration, gasoline and diesel vehicle emissions, industrial emissions, and solvent volatilization. Significantly, emissions from transportation and waste incineration power plants were identified as the predominant sources, and suggest they should be prioritized in VOC regulation and control strategies. The activity evaluation highlighted m/p-xylene, acrolein, cis-2-pentene, toluene, and tetrahydrofuran as dominant contributors to photochemical pollution. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of VOC emissions, offering insights critical for developing targeted air pollution control policies.