Light non-methane hydrocarbons at two sites in the Indo-Gangetic Plain

Journal of Environmental Monitoring : JEM
S LalC Mallik

Abstract

Measurements of light (C(2)-C(5)) non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) were made along with ozone (O(3)), oxides of nitrogen (NO(x)), carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH(4)) at Hissar and Kanpur in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) in India during the month of December, 2004. Air samplings during noon and evening hours provided an opportunity to study the emission characteristics and changes during this period at these sites. The mixing ratio of O(3) was higher during noon hours due to photochemical formation, while the levels of precursor gases showed elevated values during the evening hours on a clear sky day. On foggy days there is no such variation. The lower mixing ratios of O(3) observed on foggy days could be due to the slower rate of photochemical formation caused by a reduction in solar flux and surface deposition caused by the presence of a stable planetary boundary layer. Propene and ethene show the highest evening to noon ratio due to their faster reactivities with OH radicals. Correlations among different species of the measured gases indicate contributions of emissions from biomass and biofuel burning as well as fossil fuel combustion. Although qualitatively in relation to O(3), the propylene (propene) equivalents of NMH...Continue Reading

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