Open AccessTemperature dependence of volatile organic compound evaporative emissions from motor vehicles
Author(s) -
Rubin Juli I.,
Kean Andrew J.,
Harley Robert A.,
Millet Dylan B.,
Goldstein Allen H.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2005jd006458
Subject(s) - volatile organic compound , gasoline , environmental science , environmental chemistry , evaporative cooler , daytime , atmospheric sciences , chemistry , environmental engineering , meteorology , physics , organic chemistry , geology
A chemical mass balance approach is used to determine the relative contributions of evaporative versus tailpipe sources to motor vehicle volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Contributions were determined by reconciling time‐resolved ambient VOC concentrations measured downwind of Sacramento, California, in summer 2001 with source speciation profiles. A composite liquid fuel speciation profile was determined from gasoline samples collected at Sacramento area service stations. Vapor‐liquid equilibrium relationships were used to determine the corresponding headspace vapor composition. VOC concentrations measured in a highway tunnel were used to define the composition of running vehicle emissions. The chemical mass balance analysis indicated that headspace vapor contributions ranged from 7 to 29% of total vehicle‐related VOC depending on time of day and day of week, with a mean daytime contribution of 17.0 ± 0.9% (mean ± 95% CI). A positive association between the headspace vapor contribution and ambient air temperature was found for afternoon hours. We estimate a 6.5 ± 2.5% increase in vapor pressure‐driven evaporative emissions and at least a 1.3 ± 0.4% increase in daily total (exhaust plus evaporative) VOC emissions from motor vehicles per degree Celsius increase in maximum temperature.