Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Released by Trees Contribute to Ground-Level Ozone
Chinese Researchers Use High-Tech Towers in Beijing to Track Real-Time Chemical Signals
Rising Global Temperatures Expected to Intensify Tree Chemical Emissions.
While expanding urban tree cover is widely recognized as a vital strategy for cooling cities and absorbing air pollutants, a new scientific study cautions that certain tree species can inadvertently worsen ground-level ozone pollution. According to researchers from Jinan University in China, specific types of trees emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that interact with other pollutants to form smog and atmospheric ozone in urban environments.
Researchers noted that the chemical compounds released by these trees closely resemble pollutants emitted by industrial solvents, paints, cleaning products, and fuel vapors. To capture this activity, scientists installed direct emission monitoring equipment 102 meters high on a meteorological tower in Beijing, paired with a ground lab. The high-precision system recorded real-time atmospheric chemical signals multiple times per second to track urban atmospheric dynamics.
