Ambient air characteristics of biogenic volatile organic compounds at a tropical evergreen forest site in Central Western Ghats of India

Non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) play key roles in local and regional atmospheric chemistry as precursors for the production of ozone and secondary organic aerosols. Ambient air C₂-C₅ NMVOCs were measured at a tropical forest site in the central Western Ghats and urban site of Udaipur in India during the late monsoon period of 2016–17 and 2015, respectively. In the Western Ghats, air samples were collected from the protected Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary. Ethene, propene, and isoprene were the dominant biogenic compounds with mean concentrations of 4.8 ± 2, 1.6 ± 0.66 and 1.05 ± 0.43 ppb, respectively. The concentrations of anthropogenic compounds such as propane and pentane were significantly lower than those of light alkenes. The contributions of ethene and propene among different NMVOCs were ~ 44 and 14%, respectively. However, the contributions of isoprene were highly variable of 3–22%. The tight correlation (r² = 0.90) between the mixing ratios of ethene and propene and their ratio indicates their common formation and emission mechanisms. The molar emission ratio of ethene/propene (2.9 ± 0.17 ppb ppb⁻¹) was comparable to those measured at other biogenic sites of Asia while higher than those reported for mid-latitude sites. The concentrations of light alkenes and isoprene at the Western Ghats were 4–5 times higher than those measured in an urban environment in the same season. The higher ozone formation potentials and Propylene-Equivalent concentrations of alkenes and isoprene than those of other NMVOCs indicate important implications of biogenic emissions on ozone photochemistry in the forest regions of India.

Graphical abstract