Page 242 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

228 R.K. Rosenbaum et al.

Airborne Airborne
emissions of emissions of
VOCs and CO NO x

Photochemical
Sun light oxidation of
VOCs

Increase in
tropospheric
ozone
concentration

Increased/critical Increased/critical
exposure of exposure of
humans vegetation

Acute Chronic Acute Chronic
effects on effects on effects on effects on
humans humans vegetation vegetation

Damage to Damage to Damage to Damage to
human health forestry crops ecosystems

Fig. 10.16 Impact pathway for photochemical ozone formation [adapted from EC-JRC (2011)]

The most important man-made emissions of VOCs derive from road traffic and
the use of organic solvents, which during 2000–2010 in Europe amounted to around
40% of the total man-made nmVOC emissions. A further 7% derives from
industrial processes and 10% are fugitive emissions (Laurent and Hauschild 2014).
VOCs are also emitted in large quantities from vegetation, in particular forests, but
unless a man-made manipulation of the natural system affects its emissions of
VOCs, these will not be reported in an LCI and hence not dealt with in the impact
assessment. Carbon monoxide is emitted from combustion processes with insuffi-
cient oxygen supply. These include road traffic and various forms of incomplete
combustion of fossil fuels or biomass in stationary systems. Nitrogen oxides are
also emitted from combustion processes in transport, energy- and waste incineration
systems.