Volatile hydrocarbons in and around Vienna, Austria

Atmospheric hydrocarbons (HCs) have been determined during a winter and a spring sampling period at several urban and a semi-rural site in the Vienna region. HC relative concentration patterns were generally consistent, however large concentration differences were observed at the various sampling sites. Concentration ratios for 'semi-rural', 'suburban' and 'city street level' sites were 1:2.5:10 for the winter case. HC concentrations at a 52 m high building were around 40% of the values at street level for species emitted by traffic. The relative abundances of aromatics (47%), alkanes (37%) and alkenes (11%) in the vienna urban atmosphere compare well with results from Berlin, while in other cities under comparison (e.g. Washington, Sydney, and Leningrad) alkanes are the most abundant volatile HC class (45 to 69%).