Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Spatiotemporal variation of odor-active VOCs in Thessaloniki, Greece: implications for impacts from industrial activities

  • Recent Developments and Innovative Strategies in Environmental Sciences in Europe
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A yearlong study of odor-active VOCs was carried out in the northwestern district of the city of Thessaloniki, Greece, which is in close vicinity to a large-scale petroleum refining and petrochemical process complex, as well as other activities such as power generation from natural gas burning and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shipping. Odor nuisance has been a major concern in the district often rising complaints from local residents. A total of 312 samples of VOCs were collected at three sites during a 12-month period (May 2018–May 2019) on thermal desorption cartridges and analyzed by thermal desorption gas chromatography interfaced with mass selective detector (TD-CG/MS). Fifty-five odorous compounds including 8 mercaptans, 5 thiophenes, 7 sulfides, 22 aromatics, and 13 aldehydes were measured, and their spatial and temporal variations were assessed. Concentrations found were compared with those measured at other sites within the urban agglomeration Thessaloniki. Correlations with meteorological conditions (ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind direction/speed, and frequency/depth of temperature inversions) were investigated. Bivariate polar plots of the concentrations of Σ8Mercaptans, Σ5Thiophenes, Σ7Sulfides, Σ22Aromatics, and Σ13Aldehydes as a function of wind speed and wind direction were constructed for source localization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Afanas’ev IP, Gorshkova TA, Arystanbekova SA, Lapina MS, Volynskii AB (2017) Determination of individual sulfur-containing compounds in gas condensate and petrol by gas chromatography. J Anal Chem 72(10):1095–1101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berresheim H, Wine PH, Davis DD (1995) Sulfur in the atmosphere. In: Singh, H.B. (Ed.), Composition, chemistry, and climate of the atmosphere. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, ISBN 0-442-01264-0, pp. 251–302

  • Besis I. Latsios E. Papakosta T. Simeonidis A. Kouras C. Samara. Spatiotemporal variation of odor active VOCs in Thessaloniki, Greece: implications for impacts from industrial activities. 17th International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment (ICCE 2019), June 16 to 20, 2019, Thessaloniki, Greece

  • Carslaw DC, Ropkins K (2012) openair—an R package for air quality data analysis. Environ Model Softw 27-28:52–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng Y, Lee S, Huang Y, Ho K, Ho S, Yau P, Louie P, Zhang, R., (2014) Diurnal and seasonal trends of carbonyl compounds in roadside, urban, and suburban environment of Hong Kong. Atmos. Environ. 89, 43–51

  • CONCAWE (1975) The identification and measurement of refinery odours Report Nr 8/75

  • EA 2009. Environment Agency: gasification, liquefaction and refining installations (EPR 1.02). www.environment-agency.gov.uk

  • Fang JJ, Yang N, Cen DY, Shao LM, He PJ (2012) Odor compounds from different sources of landfill: characterization and source identification. Waste Manag 32:1401–1410

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feng J, Gao S, Fu Q, Chen X, Chen X, Han D, Cheng J (2019) Indirect source apportionment of methyl mercaptan using CMB and PMF models: a case study near a refining and petrochemical plant. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:24305–24312

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gallego E, Roca FJ, Perales JF, Sánchez G, Esplugas P (2012) Characterization and determination of the odorous charge in the indoor air of a waste treatment facility through the evaluation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using TD–GC/MS. Waste Management 32:2469–2481

  • Grange SK, Lewis AC, Carslaw DC (2016) Source apportionment advances using polar plots of bivariate correlation and regression statistics. Atmos Environ 145:128–134

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Islam B (2015) Petroleum sludge, its treatment and disposal: a review. Int. J. Chem. Sci. 13(4), 2015):1584–1602

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jafarinejad S (2016) Odours emission and control in the petroleum refinery: a review. Current Science Perspectives 2(3):78–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson OA, Affam AC (2019) Petroleum sludge treatment and disposal: a review. Environ Eng Res 24(2):191–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalabokas PD, Hatzaianestis J, Bartzis JG, Papagiannakopoulos P (2001) Atmospheric concentrations of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons around a Greek oil refinery. Atmos Environ 35:2545–2555

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kelessis AG, Petrakakis MJ, Zoumakis NM (2006) Determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes in urban air of Thessaloniki, Greece. Environ Toxicol 21(4):440–443

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kelessis AG, Kassomenos P, Petrakakis MJ, Karakatsouli E (2013) Benzene levels in the atmosphere of large Greek urban centers. 17th International MESAEP Symposium, Istanbul/Turkey, September 28 to October 1, 2013

  • Lyapinaa NK, Marchenkob GN, Parfenovaa MA, Galkina EG, Nugumanova RM, Grishina RE (2010) Organic sulfur compounds in petroleum of the Arkhangel’sko–Tanaiskoe field. Pet Chem 50(1):31–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mo Z, Shao M, Lu S, Qu H, Zhou M, Sun J, Gou B (2015) Process-specific emission characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from petrochemical facilities in the Yangtze River Delta, China. Sci Total Environ 533:422–431

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nagata Y (2012) Measurement of odor threshold value Review of Measurement of threshold value by tiriangle odor bag method Bull. Jap. Env. Sanit. Cent. No. 17. 1990 paper. Journal of Japan Association on Odor Environment 43:401–407

  • Nunes LSS, Tavares TM, Dippel J, Jaeschke W (2005) Measurements of atmospheric concentrations of reduced sulphur compounds in the All Saints Bay Area in Bahia, Brazil. J Atmos Chem 50:79–100

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pal R, Kim K-H, Hong Y-J, Jeon E-C (2008) The pollution status of atmospheric carbonyls in a highly industrialized area. Journal of Hazardous Materials 153:1122–1135

  • Paton-Walsh C, Guérette É-A, Emmerson K, Cope M, Kubistin D, Humphries R, Wilson S, Buchholz R, Jones NB, Griffith DWT, Dominick D, Galbally I, Keywood M, Lawson S, Harnwell J, Ward J, Griffiths A, Chambers S (2018) Urban air quality in a coastal city: Wollongong during the MUMBA campaign. Atmosphere 9:500

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Persson P-E, Skog S, Hasenson B (1987) Community odours in the vicinity of a petrochemical industrial complex. J Air Waste Manage Assoc 37:1418–1420

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ras MR, Borrull F, Marce RM (2008) Determination of volatile organic sulfur compounds in the air at sewage management areas by thermal desorption and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Talanta 74:562–569

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saral A, Demir S, Yildiz S (2009) Assessment of odorous VOCs released from a main MSW landfill site in Istanbul-Turkey via a modelling approach. J Hazard Mater 168:338–345

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seo Y.-K., Suvarapu L. N., Baek S.-O., 2014. Characterization of odorous compounds (VOC and carbonyl compounds) in the ambient air of Yeosu and Gwangyang, large industrial areas of South Korea. The Scientific World Journal Volume 2014, Article ID 824301, 18 pages, https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/824301

  • Silva LJ, Alves FC, França FP (2012) A review of the technological solutions for the treatment of oily sludges from petroleum refineries. Waste Manag Res 30(10):1016–1030

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Susaya J, Kim K-H, Phan N-T, Kim J-C (2011) Assessment of reduced sulfur compounds in ambient air as malodor components in an urban area. Atmos Environ 45:3381–3390

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Talaiekhozani A, Bagheri M, Goli A, Khoozani MRT (2016) An overview of principles of odor production, emission, and control methods in wastewater collection and treatment systems. J Environ Manag 170:186–206

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. EPA, 1999. Compendium of Methods for the Determination of Toxic Organic Compounds in Ambient Air, Method TO-15, EPA/625/R-96/010b. Center for In: Daniels, J.A. (Ed.), Advances in Environmental Research, vol. 14. Nova Editors, New York, pp. 261–288

  • Vasilikiotis G, Bartzis J, Hatzianestis J, Vosniakos F, Pilidis G (1998) Determination of volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere of the city of Thessaloniki. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin 7a, 1–6

  • Vassilakos C, Papadopoulos A, Lahaniati M, Bartzis J, Papagiannakopoulos P (2002) Measurements of sulfur pollutants and VOC concentrations in the atmosphere of a suburban area in Greece. Fresenius Environ Bull 11(8):516–521

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wei W, Cheng S, Li G, Wang G, Wang H (2014) Characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from a petroleum refinery in Beijing, China. Atmos Environ 89:358–366

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilber C, Murray C (1990) Odor source evaluation. Biocycle 31:68–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu C, Liu J, Zhao P, Li W, Yan L, Piringer M, Schauberger G (2017) Evaluation of the chemical composition and correlation between the calculated and measured odour concentration of odorous gases from a landfill in Beijing, China. Atmos Environ 164:337–347

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group, particularly the Thessaloniki Refinery Company, for donating the TD-GC/MS analytical instrument.

Funding

This research was funded by the Region of Central Macedonia, Greece (Contract No. 1494/29.05.2017).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Athanasios Besis, Athanasios Kouras, Aristeidis Voliotis & Constantini Samara

  2. Department of Environment & Hydroeconomy, Directorate of Environment, Industry, Energy and Physical Resources, 26th October 64, Thessaloniki, Region of Central Macedonia, Greece

    Iraklis Latsios, Eleni Papakosta & Theodoros Simeonidis

  3. Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK

    Aristeidis Voliotis

Authors
  1. Athanasios Besis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Iraklis Latsios
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eleni Papakosta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Theodoros Simeonidis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Athanasios Kouras
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Aristeidis Voliotis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Constantini Samara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Athanasios Besis.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 562 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Besis, A., Latsios, I., Papakosta, E. et al. Spatiotemporal variation of odor-active VOCs in Thessaloniki, Greece: implications for impacts from industrial activities. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 59091–59104 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08573-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08573-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation