Intermediate-volatility aromatic hydrocarbons from the rubber products industry in China

As key components of intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOCs), intermediate-volatility aromatic hydrocarbons (IAHs) are important precursors of ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA). Rubber products (RP) industry has significant influence on ozone and SOA formation, yet few studies are available to characterize their emissions of IAHs. Here we conducted measurements of IAHs emitted from rubber products (RP) factories in China. Tens of C10-C12 IAH species were identified with C10H14-AH (such as tetramethyl benzene) and naphthalene (C10H8) as the dominant species, accounting for 57.0 % - 100.0 % of total IAHs emissions. On average, IAHs showed higher concentrations (1.1 × 102–1.2 × 103 μg m−3) in mixing, extrusion, painting, crushing, and grinding processes than those (8.2–14 μg m−3) in vulcanization and gumming processes as well as warehouse. Moreover, IAHs concentrations were 1.3–1.7 times of volatile aromatic hydrocarbons (VAHs; C6-C9 aromatics) in the emissions from mixing, extrusion, crushing and grinding processes. The average IAHs to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) ratios also showed relatively higher values (0.1–0.7) in these processes, which were significantly higher than those of 0.01–0.03 observed in other industries, and even comparable to the IVOCs to VOCs ratio of 0.2 used for estimating solvent-related emission. The ozone and SOA formation potential values of IAHs were 1.1–2.6 times and 0.9–3.9 times those of VAHs, respectively, and were 0.5–1.0 times and 0.9–1.9 times those of total VOCs in emissions of mixing, extrusion, crushing, and grinding processes of the RP industry. The total emission of IAHs was estimated to be 115.8 Gg from the RP industry in China, which could account for 64.5 % of total IAH emissions from all industrial sectors. This study further suggests that the RP industry might be an important emission source of IAHs with substantially higher ozone and SOA formation potentials. [Display omitted] •C10H14 and C10H8 contributed 57 %–100 % to intermediate-volatility aromatics (IAHs).•Concentrations, OFPs and SOAFPs of IAHs were 0.9–3.9 times those of volatile AHs.•Rubber industry emitted 115.8 Gg of IAHs, about 64.5 % of total industry emissions.