Chen Ziyan, Chen Kaitao, Cai Min, Li Xingru
Analysis and Testing Center, Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China.
Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Toxics. 2025 Aug 31;13(9):744. doi: 10.3390/toxics13090744.
Volatile phenols in the atmosphere are important precursors of ozone and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Despite their importance, the lack of effective observation and analysis methods has led to less attention paid to them, leading to gaps in our understanding of their behavior and effects on atmospheric chemistry. This study aimed to evaluate the concentration levels, sources, and environmental impacts of volatile phenols in ambient air, focusing on the urban area of Beijing and the suburban district of Heze in the North China Plain during winter. Samples were collected using an XAD-7 column and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (UPLC-UV). Results indicated that a higher concentration of 11 detected phenols was found in Beijing than that in Heze, with the average concentration of 23.60 ± 8.99 ppbv and 18.38 ± 2.34 ppbv. Phenol and cresol with strong photochemical activity were the predominant species, accounting for about 52% (Heze) and 66% (Beijing) of the total phenols, which indicates that more attention should be paid to volatile phenols in urban areas. Higher levels of L in Beijing (36.86 s) and Heze (22.06 s) compared to other studies about PAMS and carbonyls indicated that these volatile phenols play an undeniable role in atmospheric oxidation reactions. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) identified major sources as pesticide usage (15.6%), organic chemicals (31.9%), and combustion or secondary conversion (52.5%). These findings underscore the multifaceted impact of phenols, influencing both gaseous pollutant concentrations and particulate matter formation, with potential implications for environmental and public health.
大气中的挥发性酚类是臭氧和二次有机气溶胶（SOA）的重要前体物。尽管它们很重要，但由于缺乏有效的观测和分析方法，导致对其关注较少，使得我们对它们在大气化学中的行为和影响的理解存在空白。本研究旨在评估冬季华北平原北京市区和菏泽郊区环境空气中挥发性酚类的浓度水平、来源及其环境影响。使用XAD - 7柱采集样品，并通过配有紫外检测的高效液相色谱法（UPLC - UV）进行分析。结果表明，在北京检测到的11种酚类的浓度高于菏泽，平均浓度分别为23.60±8.99 ppbv和18.38±2.34 ppbv。具有强光化学活性的苯酚和甲酚是主要成分，分别占总酚类的约52%（菏泽）和66%（北京），这表明城市地区的挥发性酚类应得到更多关注。与其他关于挥发性有机物（PAMS）和羰基化合物的研究相比，北京（36.86 s）和菏泽（22.06 s）的挥发性酚类含量更高，表明这些挥发性酚类在大气氧化反应中起着不可忽视的作用。正定矩阵因子分解法（PMF）确定主要来源为农药使用（15.6%）、有机化学品（31.9%）以及燃烧或二次转化（52.5%）。这些发现强调了酚类的多方面影响，既影响气态污染物浓度，也影响颗粒物形成，对环境和公众健康具有潜在影响。
