Generation characteristics and spreading risk of VOCs released from a biological fermentation pharmaceutical factory

Abstract

Pharmaceutical factories produce a large amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which may pose a potential health threat to the environment, workers, and nearby residents. Sampling points were set up in the tylosin biological fermentation workshop (FW) and sewage treatment station (STS) of a pharmaceutical factory in a central city in northern China to collect VOCs and study their generation characteristics and diffusion. The results indicated that with the increase in fermentation time, VOC production decreased gradually, and the decline was rapid. The main VOCs produced by the FW are oxygen-containing organics and nitrogen-containing organics including 1-heptyladehyde (8.86 × 10² mg m⁻³), 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (6.36 × 10² mg m⁻³) and benzene (5.85 × 10² mg m⁻³). The STS mainly produces nitrogen-containing organics and oxygen-containing organics including 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (3.38 × 10³ mg m⁻³), diethyl amine (9.60 × 10² mg m⁻³) and methyl ethyl ketone (2.98 × 10² mg m⁻³). VOCs produced by biopharmaceutical factories can diffuse for a long distance in the atmosphere. The highest concentration of chlorinated organic compounds can spread to 11.43 kilometers in the horizontal direction and 3 kilometers in the vertical direction. Acetaldehyde, butyraldehyde, diethylamine, butyl acetate and methyl ethyl ketone are odorous gases detected in the FW and STS, respectively. Benzene, carbon tetrachloride and acetaldehyde are the main carcinogenic VOCs produced in the fermentation process of tylosin. The research elucidated production characteristics, diffusion and health risks of VOCs in the FW, which provided a reference for the control of VOCs.