Spatial and temporal variation of BTEX in the urban atmosphere of Delhi, India

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) form an important group of aromatic Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) because of their role in the tropospheric chemistry and the risk posed by them to human health. Concentrations of BTEX were determined at different sampling points in the ambient air of Delhi in order to investigate their temporal and spatial distributions. Significant positive correlation coefficient (p < 0.01) was found between inter-species concentrations at all the sampling locations. Inter-species ratio and Pearson's correlations indicate that gasoline vehicular exhaust could be the major source of BTEX in Delhi. The inter-species ratios exhibit clear seasonal variations indicating differential reactivity of the VOC species in different seasons. Xylenes were found the largest contributor to the ozone formation followed by toluene.