Research Projects

Clark County BVOC emission inventory: Biogenic Volatile Organic Compound Emission Inventory Improvement Project

PI: Mark Potosnak

Project Period: 4/15/2006 - 8/31/2006

Funded by: Clark County Division of Air Quality and Environmental Management

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Keywords: Clark County, BVOC, air quality, organic compounds, VOC emissions

Project Description

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are widely known to affect tropospheric ozone formation. Previous modeling suggested that the BVOC contributions to the overall VOC emissions inventory within Clark County were relatively minor in comparison to anthropogenic sources. However, recent modeling results based on a new U.S. EPA modeling platform, suggests otherwise. The modeling indicates that not only may BVOC contributions be significant, but they may overwhelm VOC contributions from anthropogenic sources in Clark County. These default BVOC emission estimates are considered suspect, and implementing an unrepresentative BVOC emission inventory within the ozone State Implementation Plan (SIP) may severely impact efforts to mitigate ozone pollution within Clark County and render proposed control measures meaningless. The purpose of this project is to prevent such an outcome by continuing efforts to develop a representative BVOC emission inventory for Clark County.

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