Abstract
Twenty-eight volatile organic compounds have been measured in a 3-month monitoring campaign. The sampling point is locatedin the urban centre of La Coruña, a medium-size town in theNorthwest of Spain. Only a petrol refinery can be consideredas an important point VOCs source in its surrounding area.The municipal landfill collapsed in September 1996, and rebuilding works caused strong odour episodes at the urbancentre. We tried to check how this problem affected urban airquality. Samples were taken with Tenax-TA tubes and analysedby thermal desorption-GC-MS. From the results obtained, traffic emissions were recognised as the main VOCs source inthe sampling zone. On November 9th a contaminationepisode took place. Aromatic and aliphatic compounds levelswere probably affected by emissions from fuel treatmentprocesses in a nearby petrol refinery. No influence onquantified VOCs concentrations from the remaking landfillworks was observed. Several compounds (organosulphurs, estersand alcohols) were recognised as the cause of odour problems.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen, M. R., Braithwaite, A. and Hills, C. C.: 1997, Environ. Sci. Technol. 31, 1045.
Bailey, J. and Eggleston, S.: 1993, Sci Tot. Environ. 134, 263.
Benjamin, M. T. and Winer, A. M.: 1998, Atmos. Environ. 32, 53.
Brocco, D., Fratarcangeli, R., Lepore, L., Petricca, M. and Ventrone, I.: 1997, Atmos. Environ. 31, 557.
Clarke, A. G., Ko. Y. H.: 1996, Sci. Tot. Environ. 189/190, 401.
Brosseau, J. and Heitz, M.: 1994, Atmos. Environ. 28, 285.
Derwent, R. G., Davies, T. J., Delaney, M., Dollard, G. J., Field, R. A., Dumitrean, P., Nason, P. D., Jones, B. N. R. and Pepler, S. A.: 2000, Atmos. Environ. 34, 297.
Donkey, P. V., Porter, J. A. and Scheff, P. A.: 1992, Journal of Air and Waste Management 48, 1437.
EPA (U.S. Enviromental Protection Agency): 1999, 'Chemicals in the enviroment: 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (CAS No. 95–63–6)', Oppt Chemical Fact Sheet EPA 749-f–94–022.
Fellin, P. and Otson, R.: 1994, Atmos. Environ. 28, 3581.
Fernández-Martínez, G., Ló pez-Mahía, P., Muniategi-Lorenzo, S., Vázquez-Blanco, E., Prada-Rodríguez, D. and Fernández-Fernández, D. E.: 1999, Anal. Lett. 32, 2851.
Field, R. A., Goldstone, M. E., Lester, J. N. and Perry, R.: 1992, Atmos. Environ. 26A, 2983.
Garcia, J. P., Beyne-Masclet, P., Mouvier, G. and Masclet, P.: 1992, Atmos. Environ. 26A, 1589.
Guicherit, R.: 1994, Sci. Tot. Environ. 146/147, 275.
Hansen, A. B. and Palmgren, F.: 1996, Sci. Tot. Environ. 189/190, 451.
Knobloch, Th., Asperger, A. and Engewald, W.: 1997, Fresen. J. Anal. Chem. 359, 189.
Manahan, S. A.: 1993, Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry, Lewis Publishers, Michigan.
Moschonas, N. and Glavas, S.: 1996, Atmos. Environ. 30, 2769.
Rappenglück, B., Fabian, P., Kalabokas, P., Viras, L. G. and Ziomas, I. C.: 1998, Atmos. Environ. 32, 2103.
Schween, J. H., Dlugi, R., Hewitt, C. N. and Foster, P.: 1997, Atmos. Environ. 26A, 199.
Singh, H. B., Salas, L., Viezee, W., Sitton, B. and Ferek, R.: 1992, Atmos. Environ. 26A, 2929.
Sweet, C. W. and Wermette, S. J.: 1992, Environ. Sci. Technol. 26, 165.
Zielinska, B. and Fung, K. K.: 1994, Sci. Tot. Environ. 146/147, 281.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fernández-Martínez, G., López-Mahía, P., Muniategui-Lorenzo, S. et al. Measurement of Volatile Organic Compounds in Urban Air of La Coruña, Spain. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 129, 267–288 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010341310590
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010341310590