The emission of the aforementioned species from vegetation is closely linked to the synthetic processes and the storage capability in plants. Although the biogenic origin of isoprene and monoterpenes is well established, studies conducted in urban areas around the world reported an additional anthropogenic origin for these compounds. This work presents sources and factors controlling the variability of isoprene, α-pinene and limonene during a 13-month campaign in an urban background station in Athens, Greece. By using the α-pinene to tracer(s) nighttime enhancement ratios, its anthropogenic fraction was estimated and was found to account for 97% and 70% of its observed levels during winter and summer respectively.
Read the full article published in "Atmospheric Environment" here.