Advanced Technologies for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emission Treatment: An Overview

This paper presents a comprehensive overview of various advanced technologies employed in the treatment of volatile organic compounds(VOCs),which are crucial pollutants in industrial emissions.The study explores different methods,including direct combustion,thermal combustion,catalytic combustion,low-temperature plasma purification,photocatalytic purification,membrane separation,and adsorption methods.Each technology is critically analyzed for its operational principles,efficiency,and applicability under different conditions.Special attention is given to adsorption concentration and catalytic combustion parallel method,highlighting its efficiency in treating low-concentration,high-volume VOC emissions.The paper also delves into the advantages and limitations of each method,providing insights into their effectiveness in various industrial scenarios.The study aims to offer a detailed guide for selecting appropriate VOC treatment technologies,contributing to enhanced environmental protection and sustainable industrial practices.

Effective technology for processing industrial volatile organic compounds by the atmospheric pressure microwave plasma torch

In this study,we investigated the abatement of volatile organic compounds(VOCs)by the atmospheric pressure microwave plasma torch(AMPT).To study the treatment efficiency of AMPT,we used the toluene and water-based varnish to simulate VOCs,respectively.By measuring the compounds and contents of the mixture gas before/after the microwave plasma process,we have calculated the treatment efficiency of AMPT.The experimental results show that the treatment efficiency of AMPT for toluene with a concentration of 17.32×10^(4) ppm is up to 60 g/kWh with the removal rate of 86%.For the volatile compounds of water-based varnish,the removal efficiency is up to 97.99%.We have demonstrated the higher potential for VOCs removal of the AMPT process.

Remove volatile organic compounds(VOCs) with membrane separation techniques

Membrane separation, a new technology for removing VOCs including pervaporation, vapor permeation, membrane contactor, and membrane bioreactor was presented. Comparing with traditional techniques, these special techniques are an efficient and energy saving technology. Vapor permeation can be applied to recovery of organic solvents from exhaust streams. Membrane contactor could be used for removing or recovering VOCs from air or wastewater. Pervaporation and vapor permeation are viable methods for removing VOCs from wastewater to yield a VOC concentrate which could either be destroyed by conventional means, or be recycled for reuse.

Measurement of in-vehicle volatile organic compounds under static conditions

The types and quantities of volatile organic compounds （VOCs） inside vehicles have been determined in one new vehicle and two old vehicles under static conditions using the Thermodesorber-Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer （TD-GC/MS）. Air sampling and analysis was conducted under the requirement of USEPA Method TO-17. A room-size, environment test chamber was utilized to provide stable and accurate control of the required environmental conditions （temperature, humidity, horizontal and vertical airflow velocity, and background VOCs concentration）. Static vehicle testing demonstrated that although the amount of total volatile organic compounds （TVOC） detected within each vehicle was relatively distinct （4940 μg/m^3 in the new vehicle A, 1240 μg/m^3 in used vehicle B, and 132 μg/m^3 in used vehicle C）, toluene, xylene, some aromatic compounds, and various C7-C12 alkanes were among the predominant VOC species in all three vehicles tested. In addition, tetramethyl succinonitrile, possibly derived from foam cushions was detected in vehicle B. The types and quantities of VOCs varied considerably according to various kinds of factors, such as, vehicle age, vehicle model, temperature, air exchange rate, and environment airflow velocity. For example, if the airflow velocity increases from 0.1 m/s to 0.7 m/s, the vehicle＇s air exchange rate increases from 0.15 h^-1 to 0.67 h^-1, and in-vehicle TVOC concentration decreases from 1780 to 1201 μg/m^3.

Emissions of volatile organic compounds from heated needles and twigs of Pinus pumila

A study was conducted to explore the mechanism that emissions of volatile organic compounds（VOC） from heated needles and twigs（200°C,within 15 min） of Pinus pumila affect fire behaviours using the technology of Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry（TD-GC-MS）.The results indicated that the main components of VOC from heated needles and twigs are terpenoids.Most of these terpenoids are monoterpenes.Terpenoids account for 72.93% for the needles and 92.40% for the twigs of the total VOC,and their emission ratios are 61.200 μg·g-1 and 217.060 μg·g-1 respectively.Heated twigs can emit more terpenoids than heated needles because twigs had more volatile oils than needles.In actual fires,these large amounts of terpenoid emissions,especially the monoterpene emissions,have strong effects on fire behaviors that are not only in the initial stage but also in the fast propagation stage of fires.These flammable gases are capable of causing violent combustion and creating crown fires.In addition,if these gases accumulate in an uneven geographical area,there will be a possible for eruptive fires and/or fires flashover to occur.

Emissions of volatile organic compounds and carbonyl compounds from residential coal combustion in China

Emissions of volatile organic compounds （VOCs） and carbonyls from residential coal combustion of five coals with different maturities were studied in a simulated room.The coals were burned in form of honeycomb briquettes in a domestic coal stove,one of the most common fuel/stove combinations in China.Through a dilution system,VOCs and carbonyls samples were collected by canisters and silica-gel cartridges and analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrum （GC/MS） and high performance liquid chromatography/ultraviolet （HPLC/UV）,respectively.The results show that the bituminous coals with medium volatile matter content produce the highest emissions while the anthracite yields the lowest.Among the identified carbonyls from the coal smoke,the aromatic compounds （benzaldehyde,2,5-dimethylbenzaldehyde and p-tolualdehyde,m/o-tolualdehyde,benzene,m,p-xylene and trimethyl-benzene） were relatively abundant,which might be due to the molecular structure of the coal.For formaldehyde,aromatic carbonyls and aliphatic alkanes,their concentrations increase up to the maximum values and then decrease with increasing coal maturity.The total carbonyls and VOCs have the same tendency,which was observed for the emission factors of organic carbon （OC）,elemental carbon （EC）,particulate matter （PM） and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons （PAHs） detected in the series study.

常州市人造板行业VOCs排放特征及臭氧生成潜势研究

为研究常州市人造板制造行业挥发性有机物(Volatile Organic Compounds,VOCs)的排放特征,本文基于苏玛罐采样和气相色谱-质谱/氢火焰离子化检测器(GC-MS/FID)联用技术,选取两家人造板典型生产企业,分析其不同生产环节(制胶和浸胶)车间空气中VOCs的含量和成分谱。结果表明,118种VOCs被检出,涉及芳香烃、卤代烃、烷烃、烯烃、含氧有机物及其他(乙炔和二硫化碳)等6大类,其中生产车间VOCs浓度高达593.71μg/m^(3),特征污染物为甲醛、丙醛、乙酸乙酯;制胶和浸胶环节VOCs组分相差无几,但排放浓度差距明显;含氧挥发性有机物(Oxygenated Volatile Organic Compounds,OVOCs)和芳香烃是未来人造板制造行业需要重点管控的对象。

Establishment and Evaluation of a Method for Analyzing Atmospheric Volatile Organic Compounds

An automated cumulative sampling system and a method that combines a two-step cryo-concentrated system and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry （CCS-GC/MS） are introduced. The method is evaluated by a set of special experiments and the results are presented. The lowest measurement detection limit was expanded from 10^-6 nmol mol^-1 to 10^-12 nmol mol^-1 by using CCS-GC/MS instead of the simpler method of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry （GC/MS）, with the average responsible factor of 39 object compounds being 2.9 × 10^-12. When the volume of air sample reached 1000 cm^3, the lowest detection limit reached up to 7 × 10^-12-40 × 10^-12 nmol mol^-1. The CCS-GC/MS method can potentially identify all objective chemical species in an atmospheric sample, with an average 2.5 s bias error of retention time for 39 gas chromatography （GC） peaks. Within the range 0-400×10^-9 nmol mol^-1, the concentration of 39 kinds of objective compounds can be individually calculated very accurately by a standard curve [average r^2 （coefficient of determination） value of above 0.99]. The recovery efficiency was 88%-111%, with an average of 100.8% ±5.6%. The bias error of precision was 2%-14%, with an average of 6.6%.

Biomass Control via UV Lamp Application and Nutrient Supply Restriction in the Biofiltration of Gaseous VOCs

Biofiltration may have clogging problems owing to excess biomass growth during the treatment of gaseous pollutants.In this study,we employed an UV(Ultraviolet)lamp and controlled the nutrient supply to conduct a biofiltration process for treating 2-butanone(MEK:Methyl Ethyl Ketone)and toluene in a gas stream.Two methods of UV lamp usage(direct and indirect irradiation)and several nutrient supply methods were tested.However,no clear effect was observed with either UV usage.Under the optimal conditions,97%of the MEK and 69%of the toluene gases were removed after 29 s of EBRT(Empty Bed Retention Time).The inlet loads were 18 and 19 mg/(m^(3)·h)for MEK and toluene,respectively.Under these conditions,23 g-N/(m^(3)·day)of nitrate-nitrogen was consumed.Excess biomass growth occurred during simultaneous excess nutrient supply and a persistent irrigation schedule.In this study,we demonstrated the effective use of a dense nitrate solution to deliver an appropriate amount of nutrients and moisture,and the optimal irrigation frequency was four times per week.

Characteristics and source apportionment of ambient volatile organic compounds and ozone generation sensitivity in urban Jiaozuo,China

In recent years,many cities have taken measures to reduce volatile organic compounds(VOCs),an important precursor of ozone(O_(3)),to alleviate O_(3) pollution in China.116 VOC species were measured by online and offline methods in the urban area of Jiaozuo from May to October in 2021 to analyze the compositional characteristics.VOC sources were analyzed by a positive matrix factorization(PMF)model,and the sensitivity of ozone generation was determined by ozone isopleth plotting research(OZIPR)simulation.The results showed that the average volume concentration of total VOCs was 30.54 ppbv and showed a bimodal feature due to the rush-hour traffic in the morning and at nightfall.The most dominant VOC groups were oxygenated VOCs(OVOCs,29.3%)and alkanes(26.7%),and the most abundant VOC species were acetone and acetylene.However,based on the maximum incremental reactivity(MIR)method,the major VOC groups in terms of ozone formation potential(OFP)contribution were OVOCs(68.09μg/m^(3),31.5%),aromatics(62.90μg/m^(3),29.1%)and alkene/alkynes(54.90μg/m^(3),25.4%).This indicates that the control of OVOCs,aromatics and alkene/alkynes should take priority.Five sources of VOCs were quantified by PMF,including fixed sources of fossil fuel combustion(27.8%),industrial processes(25.9%),vehicle exhaust(19.7%),natural and secondary formation(13.9%)and solvent usage(12.7%).The empirical kinetic modeling approach(EKMA)curve obtained by OZIPR on O_(3) exceedance days indicated that the O_(3) sensitivity varied in different months.The results provide theoretical support for O_(3) pollution prevention and control in Jiaozuo.

Single Fe atom-anchored manganese dioxide for efficient removal of volatile organic compounds in refrigerator

The efficient and rapid removal of volatile organic compounds(VOCs)holds significant importance for ensuring food quality and human health,particularly within the low-temperature confined spaces in refrigerators.However,achieving effective VOCs degradation under such conditions poses challenges in terms of activating inert bonds and facilitating mass transfer.In this study,we propose a novel solution by designing a cleaner module that incorporates 1.07%single Fe atom-anchored manganese dioxide catalysts(FeSAs-MnO_(2)).The combination of single Fe atoms and defect-rich MnO_(2) substrate efficiently activates molecular oxygen,leading to enhanced generation of highly reactive oxygen species(ROS).Non-thermal plasma(NTP)and circulating fan are introduced to facilitate the regeneration of catalytic activity and improve mass transfer.The FeSAs-MnO_(2) cleaner module demonstrates exceptional performance in trimethylamine(TMA)removal,achieving a conversion efficiency of 98.9%for 9 ppm within just 9 min.Furthermore,accelerated aging tests predict an extended service life of up to 45 years for the FeSAs-MnO_(2) cleaner module,surpassing the expected lifespan of refrigerators significantly.

Species profile and reactivity of volatile organic compounds emission in solvent uses,industry activities and from vehicular tunnels

A survey was conducted of the volatile organic compounds(VOCs)released from sources of solvent use,industry activities and vehicle emissions in Guiyang,a capital city of China.Samples were collected by canisters and analyzed by GC-MS-FID.The species profiles of VOCs emitted from sources were obtained.Results showed that xylenes,ethylbenzene,acetone and dichloromethane were the characteristics species for painting,2-propanol and ethyl acetate for printing,α-pinene for solid wood furniture manufacturing,and 2-butanone for biscuit baking.These characteristics species could be as tracers for the sources respectively.In most of samples from the solvent use,the benzene/toluene(B/T)ratio was less than 0.3,indicating that the ratio could be as the indicator for tracing the solvent use related sources.The results also suggested that the toluene/xylene(T/X)ratio be as the indicator to distinguish the VOCs sources of painting(<2)from the printing(>2).Aromatics contributed the most to ozone formation potential(OFP)of most painting and non-paper printing sources,and oxygen-containing VOCs(OVOCs)were major species contributing to OFP of the sources from food production and paper printing.The OFP of the VOCs emissions from vehicle in tunnels and from other manufactures were dominated by both aromatics and alkenes.Theα-pinene could explain 56.94%and 32.54%of total OFP of the VOCs sources from filing cabinet and solid wood furniture manufacturing,which was rarely been involved in previous studies of VOCs source profiles,indicating that the species of concern for VOCs sources are still insufficient at present.

Self-cleaning SERS sensor based on flexible Ni_(3)S_(2)/MoS_(2)@Ag@PDMS composites for label-free multiplex volatile organic compounds detection

Flexible self-cleaning surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS)sensors are highly desirable for the detection of various environmental pollutants,including volatile organic compounds(VOCs).However,achieving sensitive detection without labeling and ensuring efficient cyclic use remain significant challenges.Herein,we introduce a direct approach to create a versatile Ni_(3)S_(2)/MoS_(2)@Ag@PDMS(PDMS=polydimethylsiloxane)composite SERS substrate using chemical vapor deposition technology.The produced substrate shows outstanding performance,offering extremely low detection sensitivity(1.0×10^(−12)M 4-aminobenzenethiol)and high enhancement factors(approximately 107).The interactions between the rod-shaped Ni_(3)S_(2)/MoS_(2)@Ag heterostructure and the molecules facilitate the transfer of charge,resulting in an increased electric field enhancement of the exciton resonance.This has the dual benefit of providing a self-cleaning effect and enhancing SERS efficiency.Importantly,the substrate enables sensitive detection of VOCs gas molecules without the need for labels,achieving a minimum detectable concentration as low as 1 ppm for o-dichlorobenzene,due to the preconcentration effect of PDMS.Theoretical calculations further explain the combined effect of electromagnetic and chemical enhancement in this composite substrate.By utilizing the developed visual SERS barcode,quick multiple detection and analysis of mixtures can be accomplished.This flexible and versatile SERS technique has significant potential for on-site detection and analysis of environmental pollutants,opening the doors for the development of a wearable in-situ SERS sensing platform.

Chemical characterization of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from multiple cooking cuisines and purification efficiency assessments

Cooking process can produce abundant volatile organic compounds(VOCs),which are harmful to environment and human health.Therefore,we conducted a comprehensive analysis in which VOCs emissions from multiple cuisines have been sampled based on the simulation and acquisition platform,involving concentration characteristics,ozone formation potential(OFP)and purification efficiency assessments.VOCs emissions varied from 1828.5 to 14,355.1μg/m^(3),with the maximumand minimumvalues fromBarbecue and Family cuisine,respectively.Alkanes and alcohol had higher contributions to VOCs from Sichuan and Hunan cuisine(64.1%),Family cuisine(66.3%),Shandong cuisine(69.1%)and Cantonese cuisine(69.8%),with the dominant VOCs species of ethanol,isobutane and n-butane.In comparison,alcohols(79.5%)were abundant for Huaiyang cuisine,while alkanes(19.7%),alkenes(35.9%)and haloalkanes(22.9%)accounted for higher proportions from Barbecue.Specially,carbon tetrachloride,n-hexylene and 1-butene were the most abundant VOCs species for Barbecue,ranging from 8.8%to 14.6%.The highest OFP occurred in Barbecue.The sensitive species of OFP for Huaiyang cuisine were alcohols,while other cuisines were alkenes.Purification efficiency assessments shed light on the removal differences of individual and synergistic control technologies.VOCs emissions exhibited a strong dependence on the photocatalytic oxidation,with the removal efficiencies of 29.0%–54.4%.However,the high voltage electrostatic,wet purification and mechanical separation techniques played a mediocre or even counterproductive role in the VOCs reduction,meanwhile collaborative control technologies could not significantly improve the removal efficiency.Our results identifiedmore effective control technologies,which were conductive to alleviating air pollution from cooking emissions.

Adsorption and membrane separation for removal and recovery of volatile organic compounds

Volatile organic compounds(VOCs)are a crucial kind of pollutants in the environment due to their obvious features of severe toxicity,high volatility,and poor degradability.It is particularly urgent to control the emission of VOCs due to the persistent increase of concentration and the stringent regulations.In China,clear directions and requirements for reduction of VOCs have been given in the“national plan on environmental improvement for the 13th Five-Year Plan period”.Therefore,the development of efficient technologies for removal and recovery of VOCs is of great significance.Recovery technologies are favored by researchers due to their advantages in both recycling VOCs and reducing carbon emissions.Among them,adsorption and membrane separation processes have been extensively studied due to their remarkable industrial prospects.This overview was to provide an up-to-date progress of adsorption and membrane separation for removal and recovery of VOCs.Firstly,adsorption and membrane separation were found to be the research hotspots through bibliometric analysis.Then,a comprehensive understanding of their mechanisms,factors,and current application statuses was discussed.Finally,the challenges and perspectives in this emerging field were briefly highlighted.

Devolatilization of high viscous fluids with high gravity technology

Volatile organic compounds(VOCs)are generally toxic and harmful substances that can cause health and environmental problems.The removal of VOCs from polymers has become a key problem.The effective devolatilization to remove VOCs from high viscous fluids such as polymer is necessary and is of great importance.In this study,the devolatilization effect of a rotating packed bed(RPB)was studied by using polydimethylsiloxane as the viscous fluid and acetone as the VOC.The devolatilization rate and liquid phase volume(KLa)have been evaluated.The results indicated that the optimum conditions were the high-gravity factor of 60,liquid flow rate of 10 L·h^(-1),and vacuum degree of 0.077 MPa.The dimensionless correlation of KLa was established,and the deviations between predicted and experimental values were less than±28%.The high-gravity technology will result in lower mass transfer resistance in the devolatilization process,enhance the mass transfer process of acetone,and improve the removal effect of acetone.This work provides a promising path for the removal of volatiles from polymers in combination with high-gravity technology.It can provide the basis for the application of RPB in viscous fluids.

Characterization,reactivity,source apportionment,and potential source areas of ambient volatile organic compounds in a typical tropical city

Based on one-year observation,the concentration,sources,and potential source areas of volatile organic compounds(VOCs)were comprehensively analyzed to investigate the pollution characteristics of ambient VOCs in Haikou,China.The results showed that the annual average concentration of total VOCs(TVOCs)was 11.4 ppb V,and the composition was dominated by alkanes(8.2 ppb V,71.4%)and alkenes(1.3 ppb V,20.5%).The diurnal variation in the concentration of dominant VOC species showed a distinct bimodal distribution with peaks in the morning and evening.The greatest contribution to ozone formation potential(OFP)was made by alkenes(51.6%),followed by alkanes(27.2%).The concentrations of VOCs and nitrogen dioxide(NO_(2))in spring and summer were low,and it was difficult to generate high ozone(O_(3))concentrations through photochemical reactions.The significant increase in O_(3)concentrations in autumn and winter was mainly related to the transmission of pollutants from the northeast.Traffic sources(40.1%),industrial sources(19.4%),combustion sources(18.6%),solvent usage sources(15.5%)and plant sources(6.4%)were identified as major sources of VOCs through the positive matrix factorization(PMF)model.The southeastern coastal areas of China were identified as major potential source areas of VOCs through the potential source contribution function(PSCF)and concentration-weighted trajectory(CWT)models.Overall,the concentration of ambient VOCs in Haikou was strongly influenced by traffic sources and long-distance transport,and the control of VOCs emitted from vehicles should be strengthened to reduce the active species of ambient VOCs in Haikou,thereby reducing the generation of O_(3).

Development of an evaporation crystallizer for desalination of alkaline organic wastewater before incineration

A wastewater evaporation-desalination pretreatment method was introduced to remove the Na+ and K+ salts in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) wastewater before it was fed into the incinerator. VOCs in the wastewater were volatilized in the evaporation system and then the vapor was combusted in an incinerator. Simulated phenol wastewater containing sodium chloride was evaporated and concentrated and sodium chloride was crystallized in different parameters. The experimental results showed that the higher initial concentration of sodium chloride increases the ratio of volatilization of VOCs, which was due to the effect of “salting out” (a decrease in the solubility of the nonelectrolyte in the solution, or more rigorously, an increase in its activity coef-ficient, caused by the salt addition (Furter and Cook, 1967)). When evaporation speed was increased from 1.67 ml/min to 2.73 ml/min, the total removal coefficient of sodium chloride was about 99.88%～99.99%. This pretreatment procedure eliminates the slag phenomenon caused by Na+ and K+ salts during wastewater incineration, so the incinerator could operate continuously, and the wastewater evaporation could increase the heat value of wastewater, and the operation cost would be reduced.

Plant VOCs emission： a new strategy of thermotolerance

Plant leaves may emit a substantial amount of volatile organic compounds （VOCs） into the atmosphere, which include isoprene, terpene, alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, aldehydes, eters, esters and carboxylic acids. Furthermore, most of these compounds actively participate in tropospheric chemistry. Great progresses have been made in linking emission of these compounds to climate. However, the VOCs emission function in plant is still not clear. Recently, some evidence has emerged that the production and the emission of VOCs, such as isoprene and monoterpenes, which account for 80% of total VOCs, exhibit plant protection against high temperatures. These increases in VOCs emissions could contribule in a significant way to plant thermotolerance. This perspective summarizes some latest literatures regarding the VOCs emission-dependent thermoprotection in plant species subjected to high temperature stress, presents the achievement in studies concerning plant VOCs emission-dependent thermotolerance, and then exhibits the proposed mechanisms of such plant thermotolerance. Finally open questions regarding the plant VOCs emission were shown, and the future researches were proposed.

Characteristics of carbonyls and volatile organic compounds （VOCs） in residences in Beijing, China

Volatile organic compounds （VOCs） and carbonyl compounds were measured both indoors and outdoors in 50 residences of Beijing in heating （December, 2011） and non-heating seasons （April/May, 2012）. SUMMA canisters for VOCs and diffusive samplers for carbonyl compounds were deployed for 24 h at each site, and 94 compounds were quantified. Formaldehyde, acetone and acetaldehyde were the most abundant carbonyl compounds both indoors and outdoors with indoor median concentrations being 32.1, 21.7 and 15.3 μg·m-3, respec- tively. Ethane （17.6 μg·m-3）, toluene （14.4 μg·m-3）, pro- pane （11.2 μg·m-3）, ethene （8.40 μg·m-3）, n-butane （6.87 μg·m-3）, and benzene （5.95 μg·m-3） showed the high median concentrations in indoor air. Dichloromethane, p- dichlorobenzene （p-DCB） and toluene exhibited extremely high levels in some residences, which were related with a number of indoor emission sources. Moreover, isoprene, p- dichlorobenzene and carbonyls showed median indoor/ outdoor （I/O） ratios larger than 3, indicating their indoor sources were prevailing. Chlorinated compounds like CFCs were mainly from outdoor sources for their I/O ratios being less than 1. In addition, indoor concentrations between two sampling seasons varied with different compounds. Carbonyl compounds and some chlorinated compounds had higher concentrations in the non-heating season, while alkanes, alkenes, aromatic compounds showed an increase in the heating season. Indoor concentration of VOCs and carbonyls were influenced by locations, interior decorations and indoor activities, however the specific sources for indoor VOCs and carbonyls could not be easily identified. The findings obtained in this study would significantly enhance our understandings on the prevalent and abundant species of VOCs as well as their concentrations and sources in Beijing residences.