Concentration of VOCs in the Atmosphere and Its Environmental Exposure

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Emerging Contaminants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 1044

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
Interests: aerosols; source apportionment; chemical reactions; mass spectrometry; black carbon; toxicity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
Interests: volatile organic monitoring; atmospheric chemistry; ozone; observation-based models

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Scope and Focus

This Special Issue aims to compile research that enhances our understanding of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere, emphasizing their concentrations, distributions, sources, and human health impacts. Key areas of interest include the following:

  1. Source identification: Investigations into both anthropogenic and biogenic sources of VOC emissions, facilitating the determination of primary contributors to atmospheric VOC levels.
  2. Exposure assessment: Evaluations of human exposure to VOCs through different pathways, such as inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact, considering various populations and settings.
  3. Health risk evaluation: Quantitative and qualitative assessments of health risks associated with VOC exposure, encompassing both carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic effects.
  4. Environmental impact: Studies on the role of VOCs in atmospheric processes, including their contribution to ozone formation and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) production.

Positioning Within Existing Literature

While substantial research has been conducted on VOC emissions and their impacts, this Special Issue seeks to bridge gaps by focusing on interdisciplinary studies that connect environmental measurements with health risk assessments. By compiling articles that offer novel insights into VOC concentrations and exposure risks, this Special Issue aims to advance current understanding and inform future research directions and policymaking.

We encourage submissions that present original research, reviews, or case studies related to the outlined themes, with the goal of fostering a comprehensive discourse on atmospheric VOCs and their environmental exposure.

Prof. Dr. Xinlei Ge
Dr. Ming Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • VOCs
  • health risk assessment
  • exposure assessment
  • source identification
  • environmental impact

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

22 pages, 7364 KiB  
Article
Characterization and Source Apportionment Analysis of PM2.5 and Ozone Pollution over Fenwei Plain, China: Insights from PM2.5 Component and VOC Observations
by Litian Xu, Bo Wang, Ying Wang, Huipeng Zhang, Danni Xu, Yibing Zhao and Kaihui Zhao
Toxics 2025, 13(2), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13020123 - 6 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 749
Abstract
PM2.5 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been identified as the primary air pollutants affecting the Fenwei Plain (FWP), necessitating urgent measures to improve its air quality. To gain a deeper understanding of the formation mechanisms of these pollutants, this study employed [...] Read more.
PM2.5 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been identified as the primary air pollutants affecting the Fenwei Plain (FWP), necessitating urgent measures to improve its air quality. To gain a deeper understanding of the formation mechanisms of these pollutants, this study employed various methods such as HYSPLIT, PCT, and PMF for analysis. Our results indicate that the FWP is primarily impacted by PM2.5 from the southern Shaanxi air mass and the northwestern air mass during winter. In contrast, during summer, it is mainly influenced by O3 originating from the southern air mass. Specifically, high-pressure fronts are the dominant weather pattern affecting PM2.5 pollution in the FWP, while high-pressure backs predominately O3 pollution. Regarding the sources of PM2.5, secondary nitrates, vehicle exhausts, and secondary sulfates are major contributors. As for volatile organic compounds, liquefied petroleum gas sources, vehicle exhausts, solvent usage, and industrial emissions are the primary sources. This study holds crucial scientific significance in enhancing the regional joint prevention and control mechanism for PM2.5 and O3 pollution, and it provides scientific support for formulating effective strategies for air pollution prevention and control. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop