Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds in Industrial, Coastal and Urban Regions
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University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2018-12-20 Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds in Industrial, Coastal and Urban Regions Tokarek, Travis Wade Tokarek, T. W. (2018). Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds in Industrial, Coastal and Urban Regions (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. http://hdl.handle.net/1880/109409 doctoral thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds in Industrial, Coastal and Urban Regions by Travis Wade Tokarek A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN CHEMISTRY CALGARY, ALBERTA DECEMBER, 2018 © Travis Wade Tokarek 2018 Abstract This thesis describes the application of gas chromatography using direct air injection for the measurement and analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during three campaigns in unique environments (i.e., industrial, marine and urban). A Griffin 450 gas chromatograph equipped with a cylindrical ion trap mass spectrometer and electron impact ionization (GC- ITMS) and a Varian 3380CP equipped with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD) were used to acquire speciated measurements of select VOCs (monoterpenes, alkanes and aromatics) and peroxyacyl nitrates (PANs), respectively, which were analyzed to investigate air mass sources. In the first campaign, principal component analysis (PCA) was used on a dataset collected in the Alberta oil sands to elucidate possible sources of analytically unresolved intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) that were observed in the GC-ITMS chromatograms. A spectrally similar analytically unresolved peak of IVOCs was observed in the lab from vapours in the headspace of a bitumen sample collected near the measurement site. In the second campaign, previously-reported nocturnal ozone-depletion events were investigated off the West coast of Vancouver Island. Monoterpenes and their oxidation products were measured to explore the role of biogenic VOCs (BVOC) as a possible chemical loss pathway for ozone in this region. The analysis showed that monoterpenes play a minor role in ozone depletion in this environment and that dry deposition is likely the dominant pathway. During this campaign, the headspace vapours of several local kelp species were measured to probe possible BVOC sources in the region. Limonene was found to be enhanced above background concentrations by two species (Nereocystis luetkeana and Alaria marginata) making them a previously unrecognized source of a highly reactive monoterpene in this environment. ii In the third campaign, two PAN species (i.e., peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) and peroxypropionic nitrate (PPN)) were measured by GC-ECD during a period when wildfire smoke was transported from California and British Columbia to Calgary, Alberta. The PPN/PAN ratio was calculated and ranged from 0.05 to 0.17 (a typical background value is 0.10) in biomass burning plumes. Gas chromatography with direct air injection continues to yield new and useful information and should be a component of any comprehensive analysis. Keywords: VOC emissions, principal component analysis, bitumen, seaweed, kelp, monoterpenes, limonene, hydrocarbons, ozone depletion, monoterpene emissions iii Acknowledgements Above all I would like to sincerely thank my supervisor Dr. Hans D. Osthoff. The quality and quantity of education I received under your guidance far surpassed what I once believed myself capable of. You have left me equipped with a profound confidence, enthusiasm and curiosity. Thank you for knowing how far to push me without breaking my spirit. I would also like to thank my supervisory committee Dr. Kevin Thurbide and Dr. Yujun Shi who helped guide me through the staggered path of my degree. I really value the time and commitment you both put into reading my proposal and thesis and for offering me feedback. I would also like to thank my defense committee who read through these pages. I am sure it wasn’t easy and am grateful for your time and efforts. Thank you to all fellow Osthoff group members, past and present. A special thank you to Charles, Connie, Youssef, Duncan, Natasha, Nick J. and Nick G. I can’t wait to see where we all are in 10 years! I would like to also thank my friends and family who understand the social sacrifices I have made to complete my degree. I manage stress well, but a big part of that is having a strong support group of people that I trust and respect. Finally, thank you Erdem. I think at one time I was concerned that a relationship would make graduate school more difficult, but it had the opposite effect. I have survived and thrived because of you. Thank you for your continued love and support. I am very excited about starting the next Chapter of our lives together. With you, I am confident it will be amazing! iv Dedication To my partner Erdem, seni ҫok seviyorum cep ayısı! v Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... iv Dedication ...........................................................................................................................v Table of Contents ...............................................................................................................v List of Tables .................................................................................................................... ix List of Figures and Illustrations .......................................................................................x List of Symbols, Abbreviations and Nomenclature .................................................... xiv Chapter One: Introduction ...............................................................................................1 1.1 The troposphere and volatile organic compounds ................................................1 1.2 Volatile organic compounds: sources and chemistry ...........................................1 1.2.1 Anthropogenic volatile organic compounds: alkanes and aromatics .........2 1.2.2 Biogenic volatile organic compounds: terpenes ............................................3 1.3 Volatile organic compound oxidation ....................................................................5 1.4 Products of volatile organic compound oxidation ................................................7 1.4.1 Ozone production and the peroxy radical .....................................................7 1.4.2 Oxygenated volatile organic compounds .......................................................9 1.4.3 Formation of peroxyacyl nitrates .................................................................12 1.5 Quantification of volatile organic compounds ....................................................13 1.5.1 Gas chromatography mass spectrometry ....................................................15 1.5.1.1 Sample preconcentration ......................................................................16 1.6 Thesis motivation and objectives ..........................................................................17 Chapter Two: Instrumentation and Calibration ..........................................................19 2.1 Gas chromatography ion trap mass spectrometer ..............................................19 2.1.1 Electron impact ionization ............................................................................21 2.1.2 Cylindrical ion trap .......................................................................................21 2.1.3 Injection methodology ...................................................................................22 2.1.4 Low mass, high mass and detector tuning ...................................................23 2.2 Peroxyacyl nitrate gas chromatograph specifications ........................................24 2.2.1 Inlet design and schematic ............................................................................25 Chapter Three: Data Collected at a Ground Site Near Fort McKay During FOSSILS 2013...........................................................................................................................28 3.1 Field campaign details ...........................................................................................28 3.2 Instrumentation .....................................................................................................30 3.3 Analytically unresolved hydrocarbon signature .................................................32 3.4 Field data summary ...............................................................................................34 3.4.1 Qualitative assessment of VOCs ...................................................................41 3.5 Conclusions .............................................................................................................45 Chapter Four: Principal Component Analysis