Volatile chemical product emissions enhance ozone and modulate urban chemistry
Matthew M. Coggon, Georgios I. Gkatzelis, Brian McDonald, J. B. Gilman, Rebecca H. Schwantes, Nader Abuhassan, K. C. Aikin, Mark Arend, Timothy A. Berkoff, Steven S. Brown, T. Campos, Russell R. Dickerson, Guillaume Gronoff, James F. Hurley, Gabriel Isaacman‐VanWertz, Abigail R. Koss, Meng Li, S. A. McKeen, Fred Moshary, Jeff Peischl, Veronika Pospíšilová, Xinrong Ren, Anna Wilson, Yonghua Wu, M. Trainer, C. Warneke
Abstract
from fragranced VCPs and other anthropogenic sources, which is comparable to that of a summertime forest. Photochemical modeling of an extreme heat event, with ozone well in excess of US standards, illustrates the significant impact of VCPs on air quality. In the most populated regions of NYC, ozone was sensitive to anthropogenic VOCs (AVOCs), even in the presence of biogenic sources. Within this VOC-sensitive regime, AVOCs contributed upwards of ∼20 ppb to maximum 8-h average ozone. VCPs accounted for more than 50% of this total AVOC contribution. Emissions from fragranced VCPs, including personal care and cleaning products, account for at least 50% of the ozone attributed to VCPs. We show that model simulations of ozone depend foremost on the magnitude of VCP emissions and that the addition of oxygenated VCP chemistry impacts simulations of key atmospheric oxidation products. NYC is a case study for developed megacities, and the impacts of VCPs on local ozone are likely similar for other major urban regions across North America or Europe.