On the atmospheric budget of 1,2-dichloroethane and its impact on stratospheric chlorine and ozone (2002–2020)
<p>The chemical compound 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE), or ethylene dichloride, is an industrial very short-lived substance (VSLS) whose major use is as a feedstock in the production chain of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Like other chlorinated VSLSs, transport of DCE (and/or its atmospheric oxidation...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/13457/2024/acp-24-13457-2024.pdf |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846139255098703872 |
|---|---|
| author | R. Hossaini D. Sherry Z. Wang Z. Wang M. P. Chipperfield M. P. Chipperfield W. Feng W. Feng D. E. Oram D. E. Oram K. E. Adcock S. A. Montzka I. J. Simpson A. Mazzeo A. A. Leeson E. Atlas C. C.-K. Chou |
| author_facet | R. Hossaini D. Sherry Z. Wang Z. Wang M. P. Chipperfield M. P. Chipperfield W. Feng W. Feng D. E. Oram D. E. Oram K. E. Adcock S. A. Montzka I. J. Simpson A. Mazzeo A. A. Leeson E. Atlas C. C.-K. Chou |
| author_sort | R. Hossaini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>The chemical compound 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE), or ethylene dichloride, is an industrial very short-lived substance (VSLS) whose major use is as a feedstock in the production chain of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Like other chlorinated VSLSs, transport of DCE (and/or its atmospheric oxidation products) to the stratosphere could contribute to ozone depletion there. However, despite annual production volumes greatly exceeding those of more prominent VSLSs (e.g. dichloromethane), global DCE observations are sparse; thus, the magnitude and distribution of DCE emissions and trends in its atmospheric abundance are poorly known. In this study, we performed an exploratory analysis of the global DCE budget between 2002 and 2020. Combining bottom-up data on annual production and assumptions around fugitive losses during production and feedstock use, we assessed the DCE source strength required to reproduce atmospheric DCE observations. We show that the TOMCAT/SLIMCAT 3-D chemical transport model (CTM) reproduces DCE measurements from various aircraft missions well, including HIPPO (2009–2011), ATom (2016–2018), and KORUS-AQ (2016), along with surface measurements from Southeast Asia, when assuming a regionally varying production emission factor in the range of 0.5 %–1.5 %. Our findings imply substantial fugitive losses of DCE and/or substantial emissive applications (e.g. solvent use) that are poorly reported. We estimate that DCE's global source increased by <span class="inline-formula">∼</span> 45 % between 2002 (349 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 61 <span class="inline-formula">Gg yr<sup>−1</sup></span>) and 2020 (505 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 90 <span class="inline-formula">Gg yr<sup>−1</sup></span>), with its contribution to stratospheric chlorine increasing from 8.2 (<span class="inline-formula">±</span> 1.5) to <span class="inline-formula">∼</span> 12.9 (<span class="inline-formula">±</span> 2.4) <span class="inline-formula">ppt Cl</span> (where ppt denotes parts per trillion) over this period. DCE's relatively short overall tropospheric lifetime (<span class="inline-formula">∼</span> 83 <span class="inline-formula">d</span>) limits, although does not preclude, its transport to the stratosphere, and we show that its impact on ozone is small at present. Annually averaged, DCE is estimated to have decreased ozone in the lower stratosphere by up to several parts per billion (<span class="inline-formula"><</span> 1 %) in 2020, although a larger effect in the springtime Southern Hemisphere polar lower stratosphere is apparent (decreases of up to <span class="inline-formula">∼</span> 1.3 %). Given strong potential for growth in DCE production tied to demand for PVC, ongoing measurements<span id="page13458"/> would be of benefit to monitor potential future increases in its atmospheric abundance and its contribution to ozone depletion.</p> |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-50ffcc57a4404fe6b831b4048d120c40 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-50ffcc57a4404fe6b831b4048d120c402024-12-06T10:53:08ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242024-12-0124134571347510.5194/acp-24-13457-2024On the atmospheric budget of 1,2-dichloroethane and its impact on stratospheric chlorine and ozone (2002–2020)R. Hossaini0D. Sherry1Z. Wang2Z. Wang3M. P. Chipperfield4M. P. Chipperfield5W. Feng6W. Feng7D. E. Oram8D. E. Oram9K. E. Adcock10S. A. Montzka11I. J. Simpson12A. Mazzeo13A. A. Leeson14E. Atlas15C. C.-K. Chou16Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UKNolan Sherry and Associates (NSA), London, UKSchool of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKDepartment of Ocean Sciences and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, ChinaSchool of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKNational Centre for Earth Observation, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKSchool of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKNational Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKNational Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UKCentre for Ocean and Atmospheric Science, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UKCentre for Ocean and Atmospheric Science, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UKNOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML), Boulder, CO, USADepartment of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USALancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UKLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UKDepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, RSMAES, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USAResearch Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan<p>The chemical compound 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE), or ethylene dichloride, is an industrial very short-lived substance (VSLS) whose major use is as a feedstock in the production chain of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Like other chlorinated VSLSs, transport of DCE (and/or its atmospheric oxidation products) to the stratosphere could contribute to ozone depletion there. However, despite annual production volumes greatly exceeding those of more prominent VSLSs (e.g. dichloromethane), global DCE observations are sparse; thus, the magnitude and distribution of DCE emissions and trends in its atmospheric abundance are poorly known. In this study, we performed an exploratory analysis of the global DCE budget between 2002 and 2020. Combining bottom-up data on annual production and assumptions around fugitive losses during production and feedstock use, we assessed the DCE source strength required to reproduce atmospheric DCE observations. We show that the TOMCAT/SLIMCAT 3-D chemical transport model (CTM) reproduces DCE measurements from various aircraft missions well, including HIPPO (2009–2011), ATom (2016–2018), and KORUS-AQ (2016), along with surface measurements from Southeast Asia, when assuming a regionally varying production emission factor in the range of 0.5 %–1.5 %. Our findings imply substantial fugitive losses of DCE and/or substantial emissive applications (e.g. solvent use) that are poorly reported. We estimate that DCE's global source increased by <span class="inline-formula">∼</span> 45 % between 2002 (349 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 61 <span class="inline-formula">Gg yr<sup>−1</sup></span>) and 2020 (505 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 90 <span class="inline-formula">Gg yr<sup>−1</sup></span>), with its contribution to stratospheric chlorine increasing from 8.2 (<span class="inline-formula">±</span> 1.5) to <span class="inline-formula">∼</span> 12.9 (<span class="inline-formula">±</span> 2.4) <span class="inline-formula">ppt Cl</span> (where ppt denotes parts per trillion) over this period. DCE's relatively short overall tropospheric lifetime (<span class="inline-formula">∼</span> 83 <span class="inline-formula">d</span>) limits, although does not preclude, its transport to the stratosphere, and we show that its impact on ozone is small at present. Annually averaged, DCE is estimated to have decreased ozone in the lower stratosphere by up to several parts per billion (<span class="inline-formula"><</span> 1 %) in 2020, although a larger effect in the springtime Southern Hemisphere polar lower stratosphere is apparent (decreases of up to <span class="inline-formula">∼</span> 1.3 %). Given strong potential for growth in DCE production tied to demand for PVC, ongoing measurements<span id="page13458"/> would be of benefit to monitor potential future increases in its atmospheric abundance and its contribution to ozone depletion.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/13457/2024/acp-24-13457-2024.pdf |
| spellingShingle | R. Hossaini D. Sherry Z. Wang Z. Wang M. P. Chipperfield M. P. Chipperfield W. Feng W. Feng D. E. Oram D. E. Oram K. E. Adcock S. A. Montzka I. J. Simpson A. Mazzeo A. A. Leeson E. Atlas C. C.-K. Chou On the atmospheric budget of 1,2-dichloroethane and its impact on stratospheric chlorine and ozone (2002–2020) Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | On the atmospheric budget of 1,2-dichloroethane and its impact on stratospheric chlorine and ozone (2002–2020) |
| title_full | On the atmospheric budget of 1,2-dichloroethane and its impact on stratospheric chlorine and ozone (2002–2020) |
| title_fullStr | On the atmospheric budget of 1,2-dichloroethane and its impact on stratospheric chlorine and ozone (2002–2020) |
| title_full_unstemmed | On the atmospheric budget of 1,2-dichloroethane and its impact on stratospheric chlorine and ozone (2002–2020) |
| title_short | On the atmospheric budget of 1,2-dichloroethane and its impact on stratospheric chlorine and ozone (2002–2020) |
| title_sort | on the atmospheric budget of 1 2 dichloroethane and its impact on stratospheric chlorine and ozone 2002 2020 |
| url | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/13457/2024/acp-24-13457-2024.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rhossaini ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT dsherry ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT zwang ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT zwang ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT mpchipperfield ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT mpchipperfield ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT wfeng ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT wfeng ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT deoram ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT deoram ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT keadcock ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT samontzka ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT ijsimpson ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT amazzeo ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT aaleeson ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT eatlas ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 AT cckchou ontheatmosphericbudgetof12dichloroethaneanditsimpactonstratosphericchlorineandozone20022020 |