The article titled “The potential impact of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) from terrestrial vegetation on a Mediterranean area using two different emission models” has just been published. This work is a collaboration between ARIANET, ENEA, and the National Research Council’s Institutes for Agricultural and Forestry Systems in the Mediterranean, Bioeconomy, and Sustainable Plant Protection.
Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emitted by vegetation are precursors of ozone, photochemical oxidants, and secondary organic aerosols (SOA). The interaction between these compounds and pollutants from urban areas can therefore lead to exceedances of air quality standards for ozone and atmospheric particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5).
To estimate emissions from vegetation, a classification-based approach is commonly used, categorizing different plant species by their functional type.
Models based on this approach (such as Megan v.2) assume the same emission factors for plants of the same type, which can lead to significant overestimations in the Mediterranean region, where plants of the same functional type may behave very differently in terms of emissions.
To address these limitations, the Plant Specific Emission Model (PSEM) was developed, taking into account the specific emission characteristics of different plants and types of vegetation.
This model was applied to the Campania Region, for which a detailed vegetation inventory was created. The comparison between biogenic emissions estimated using the two approaches (Megan v.2.04 and PSEM) revealed significant differences in both the quantity and spatial distribution of isoprene and monoterpenes.
The availability of concentration profiles for various organic compounds and ozone allowed for a comparison of observed concentration profiles with those simulated by feeding the FARM (Flexible Air quality Regional Model) with biogenic emissions estimated using MEGAN and PSEM.
The results showed a better agreement with experimental data, particularly for isoprene and its oxidation products, when using the PSEM model.
The full article can be accessed here: https://lnkd.in/dEuspHe6