Issue 8, 2023

Anthropogenic secondary organic aerosol and ozone production from asphalt-related emissions

Abstract

Liquid asphalt is a petroleum-derived substance commonly used in construction activities. Recent work has identified lower volatility, reactive organic carbon from asphalt as an overlooked source of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) precursor emissions. Here, we leverage potential emission estimates and usage data to construct a bottom-up inventory of asphalt-related emissions in the United States. In 2018, we estimate that hot-mix, warm-mix, emulsified, cutback, and roofing asphalt generated ∼380 Gg (317 Gg–447 Gg) of organic compound emissions. The impacts of these emissions on anthropogenic SOA and ozone throughout the contiguous United States are estimated using photochemical modeling. In several major cities, asphalt-related emissions can increase modeled summertime SOA, on average, by 0.1–0.2 μg m−3 (2–4% of SOA) and may reach up to 0.5 μg m−3 at noontime on select days. The influence of asphalt-related emissions on modeled ozone are generally small (∼0.1 ppb). We estimate that asphalt paving-related emissions are half of what they were nearly 50 years ago, largely due to the concerted efforts to reduce emissions from cutback asphalts. If on-road mobile emissions continue their multidecadal decline, contributions of urban SOA from evaporative and non-road mobile sources will continue to grow in relative importance.

Graphical abstract: Anthropogenic secondary organic aerosol and ozone production from asphalt-related emissions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
08 May 2023
Accepted
09 Jul 2023
First published
19 Jul 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Environ. Sci.: Atmos., 2023,3, 1221-1230

Anthropogenic secondary organic aerosol and ozone production from asphalt-related emissions

K. M. Seltzer, V. Rao, H. O. T. Pye, B. N. Murphy, B. K. Place, P. Khare, D. R. Gentner, C. Allen, D. Cooley, R. Mason and M. Houyoux, Environ. Sci.: Atmos., 2023, 3, 1221 DOI: 10.1039/D3EA00066D

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