Characteristics of VOCs in coating materials manufacturing and contributions to environmental implication based on on-site sampling in Shandong Province

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a significant class of air contaminants, and their anthropogenic emissions in the environment are crucial for understanding and controlling VOC pollution and associated ozone formation. Numerous studies have assessed VOC emissions from critical industrial sources in China, but understanding VOC emissions within the coating materials manufacturing industry remains limited. This study elucidates the characteristics of VOC emissions from the coating materials manufacturing industry through a comprehensive sector-based field sampling, constructs the emission source profiles, quantifies provincial-level VOC emissions, and evaluates the potential health risks to workers. According to experimental results, the main emissions from water-based coatings are oxygenated volatile organic compounds, which significantly contribute to ozone (O₃) formation. The highest emissions from solvent-based coatings are aromatics. Health risk analysis revealed potential health impacts on workers in the workshop, indicating that solvent-based workshops posing a higher carcinogenic risk than water-based coating workshops. Strict control measures for fugitive emissions should be implemented to mitigate human health risks. Our results also demonstrate that the VOC emissions from coating materials manufacturing are mainly influenced by regional imbalances in coating production in China. Additionally, we explore the •OH and Cl• radical chemistry with ethyl acetate, revealing that Cl• is more likely to undergo H-abstraction reactions (HAA) than •OH. This study provides a source profile of the coating materials manufacturing industry and offers guidance on minimizing environmental impacts and promoting healthier working environments in the industry.