Seminar: Chemical Product Emissions Emerging as Important Urban Source of Volatile Organic Compounds

Event Date: March 26, 2018

Date: Monday, March 26, 2018

Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Location: City College of New York, Steinman Hall, Rm. ST-424

Speaker: Dr. Brian C. McDonald

Title: "Chemical Product Emissions Emerging as Important Urban Source of Volatile Organic Compounds"

Abstract:

Over multiple decades volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the transportation sector have decreased by over an order of magnitude. As transportation emissions decline, other sources of urban VOCs are growing in relative importance. This talk focuses on emissions from the everyday use of volatile chemical products (VCPs), including personal care products, cleaning agents, inks, coatings, adhesives, and pesticides. In the Los Angeles basin, VCPs now account for around half of the petrochemical VOCs emitted. This potentially has important air quality implications for secondary species formed in the atmosphere, including ground-level ozone and secondary organic aerosols (SOA). Since many chemical products are used in residential and commercial buildings, emissions also affect indoor air quality. In this seminar, results from a study we recently published in Science will be presented on emissions of VOCs from VCPs, and their subsequent impacts on urban air quality in the Los Angeles basin. Second, the talk will explore potential tracers that can be used to detect the presence of VCPs in the ambient atmosphere, including the utility of decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5-siloxane). D5-siloxane is a common ingredient in personal care products. Lastly, research will be presented on terpene compounds emitted from VCPs. Terpenes are common fragrances, and also found in cleaning agents and other consumer products. Here I will explore whether an anthropogenic signal can be detected in the urban environment, and distinguishable from biogenic sources.