Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in rivers and estuaries

Abstract

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a set of low molecular weight compounds typically with a low boiling point. They have previously been observed as important in atmospheric and oceanic environments, however, the relative importance of terrestrial input into oceanic systems has previously not been determined. This is partially due to the difficulty analysing these hydrophilic compounds from solution and the nanomolar concentrations they are typically found in.

This thesis reviews current knowledge of VOC concentrations and cycling, where the global knowledge gaps in VOC concentrations are and the relative importance of riverine and estuarine input. Data was gathered using a membrane inlet proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (MI-PTR/MS) to determine the relative importance of these compounds in the catchment surrounding the Tamar River, in the South West UK. Development work was undertaken to design and validate the use of a membrane inlet mass spectrometer (MIMS) for analysis of isoprene in natural waters, at environmentally relevant concentrations. This was compared with the pre-existing method on the MI-PTR/MS and both were deployed in fieldwork in the Halladale catchment in Scotland, to gain a closer understanding of the importance of humic runoff for these important compounds.

The method developed and data gathered in this research have provided some of the first simultaneous VOC data in riverine and estuarine systems and increased the understanding of these compounds in representative UK onshore water systems

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Identifiers

ORCID for Paul, Lawrence Hackett: orcid.org/0000-0003-1512-7402

ORCID for Duncan Purdie: orcid.org/0000-0001-6672-1722

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