Sector-based volatile organic compounds emission characteristics from the electronics manufacturing industry in China

Abstract Controlling volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is an efficient method for alleviating fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3). This study targeted the electronics manufacturing industry in China, including semiconductor device (SD), printed circuit board (PCB), display device (DD) and electronic terminal product (ETP). The concentration of VOCs was 4.5–86.1 mg m−3; the highest and lowest values were observed in ETP and PCB, respectively. Additionally, the local emission factors were calculated, which were 1.6 × 10−3 t/slice (SD), 9.8 × 10−6 t/m2 (PCB), 2.4 × 10−4 t/slice (DD) and 1.8 × 10−3 t/1000set (ETP), respectively. Meanwhile, sector-based source profiles are also established. Generally, OVOCs were the dominant VOCs group for PCB, DD and ETP, accounting for 92.8%–96.2%, whereas alkanes and halocarbons accounted for a high proportion (70.4% and 24.6%, respectively) in SD. The major species of OVOCs in each sector were similar: n-butyl acetate and acetone in SD and DD, and isopropanol and ethanol in PCB and ETP. However, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane, n-pentane, and trichloroethylene were the major alkanes and halocarbons in SD, respectively, and the sector-based ozone and secondary organic aerosol formation potentials (OFPs and SOAPs) were calculated. This suggests that 2-methylpentane, isopropanol, acetone, ethanol, and m,p-xylene should be preferentially controlled to reduce the OFPs, while m,p-xylene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, toluene and o-ethyltoluene were the priority control species to reduce SOAPs. Furthermore, the comparison of VOCs source profiles in these four sectors with other places showed that the proportions of individual compounds were different. This study provides a foundation for associated research on VOCs in the electronics manufacturing industry.