Characterization of volatile organic compounds in the vicinity of an optoelectronics industrial park in Taiwan

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and investigate the impacts of traffic and industrial activities on the concentration of VOCs near the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP) in Taiwan during 2005. Twelve-hour canister sampling was performed at 10 sites near CTSP every season. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography with a mass-selective detector. The traffic flow rate, industrial production rates, and meteorological information were also collected to assess their impacts on VOC concentrations using multiple linear regression models. The major components determined in the atmosphere were toluene (29.4-218.8 microg m(-3)), acetone (30-71.3 microg m(-3)), m/p-xylene (7.8-51.7 microg m(-3)), and ethanol (16.4-47.8 microg m(-3)); only ethanol revealed a pattern of increasing concentration from spring to winter. The log-transformed mean concentrations of toluene, acetone, and ethanol were significantly associated with the production rates of the optoelectronic companies after adjustment for traffic flow and meteorological factors (P < 0.05). There was no significant association between the total traffic flow rate and any log-transformed mean concentrations of VOCs. Each $1 million (U.S.) increase in optoelectronic sales was significantly associated with increasing mean concentrations of 1.29 +/- 1.08 microg m(-3) for toluene, 1.13 +/- 1.05 microg m(-3) for acetone, and 1.25 +/- 1.09 microg m(-3) for ethanol. The authors' findings suggest that optoelectronic industrial activities are still the predominant source for VOC emissions surrounding this industrial park.