In this study, the pollution characteristics, photochemical effects, and sources of atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the urban areas of Wuhu were investigated from September 2018 to August 2019. The results showed that the annual average mixing ratio of ambient VOCs in Wuhu was 27.86×10-9, with the highest values in fall (31.16×10-9), followed by summer (28.70×10-9), winter (24.75×10-9), and spring (24.04×10-9). The diurnal patterns showed two VOC peaks, due to traffic exhaust, at 08:00-09:00 and 18:00-19:00. The estimated total OFP of VOCs was 255.29 μg·m-3, and aromatics, olefins, alkanes, OVOCs, and halocarbons contributed 48.83%, 21.04%, 18.32%, 11.47%, and 0.35% to the average OFP, respectively. The total AFP was 1.84 μg·m-3, among which aromatics and alkanes accounted for 87.69% and 12.31%, respectively. The ratios of B/T/E indicated that atmospheric aromatic hydrocarbons were mainly derived from vehicle exhaust, as well as industry emission and solvent usage. Source apportionment indicated that petroleum evaporation, vehicle exhaust, solvent evaporation, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), biogenic source, and secondary source shared 11.57%, 34.53%, 16.63%, 20.76%, 3.54%, and 12.97% of ambient VOCs during the sampling period, respectively.
Keywords: Wuhu; aerosol formation potential (AFP); ozone formation potential (OFP); pollution characteristics; source apportionment; volatile organic compounds (VOCs).