Sources and reactivity of atmospheric volatile organic compounds

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are key constituents of the atmospheric system, being precursors of ozone (a pollutant and greenhouse gas) and secondary organic aerosols (with health and climate impacts). VOCs represent a vast family of compounds, and it is important to be able to characterise their sources, their reactivity and their impact on the atmosphere, both individually and as a whole. The main emissions of VOCs into the atmosphere are both natural (the oceans and, above all, continental vegetation) and anthropogenic (transport, combustion, fires, etc.), but there are still many uncertainties in terms of the nature of the compounds emitted, their quantification and the contributions of the respective sources. This work presents the most striking results of various studies, based on laboratory and field experiments, aimed at better understanding and assessing VOC sources in various environments (oceanic, Mediterranean and urban)