EVALUATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS EMISSION FROM GASOLINE STORAGE TANKS IN ISFAHAN METROPOLITAN

Introduction: Nowadays, air pollution has become one of the problems of human society. In order to control air pollution, it is essential to know the sources of pollutants and rate of pollutants emission. Although various studies have been done to determine the airborne emission in Isfahan metropolitan, no studies have yet been conducted on the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from gasoline storage tanks in this city. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the rate of VOCs emission from gasoline storage tanks in Isfahan metropolitan and to model dispersion of VOCs in the atmosphere of this city. Materials and methods: The TANKS model was used to determine the emission rate of VOCs. Input data for the TANKS model was provided through the Isfahan Oil Refining & Distribution Company. The AERMOD model was also used to model VOCs distribution. The basic information required by the AERMOD model was also collected through relevant organizations such as the Islamic Republic of Iran Meteorological Organization and Iran National Cartographic Center. Results: The research showed that there are 21 large gasoline storage tanks in Isfahan metropolitan. The gasoline storage tanks emit 494839 tons of VOCs into the atmosphere annually. The amount of VOCs emitted from the 21 gasoline storage tanks was estimated as much as 154618081 g / year. The results showed that 99.9 % of VOCs emitted through the pipe connections in the gasoline storage tanks into the atmosphere. Conclusions: The results showed that gasoline storage tanks of Isfahan metropolitan are responsible for about 0.001 % of the VOCs emission in this metropolitan.