Air Quality CSR: Biogenic VOC Research for Cleaner Skies

Quantifying the role of biogenic VOCs in air chemistry and climate variability over the tropical Indian region: Integrating measurements with modelling

Objective

• This project aims to investigate and quantify the emissions of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOCs) within the terrestrial ecosystem of the Western Ghats region. This will be achieved through the utilisation of advanced ToF-PTRMS (Time-of-Flight Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometry) techniques.

Description

• The primary goals include understanding how monsoonal dynamics influence the seasonal variations in BVOC emissions, estimating the relative contributions of BVOC fluxes from both oceanic and terrestrial sources, distinguishing between natural and anthropogenic BVOC emissions using chemical tracers, and evaluating the impact of BVOCs on air quality, ozone levels, Secondary Organic Aerosols (SOA), and climate within the region.

Impact

• his project aims to enhance understanding of regional atmospheric chemistry and its relationship with air quality in the Indian tropical region, especially in highly polluted areas. The data collected will help estimate secondary organic aerosol yields from BVOCs and compare them to anthropogenic VOCs, reducing uncertainties in PM2.5 mass burden source assessment. The findings will benefit both the scientific community and policymakers.