Recently, the research group led by Xuan Zheng from the College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, published a research article entitled “Speciated Intermediate-Volatility and Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (I/SVOCs) from Light-Duty Gasoline Vehicles: Impacts of Engine and Aftertreatment Technologies” in Environmental Science & Technology, a prestigious journal listed in the Nature Index and recognized as one of the leading publications in the field of environmental engineering. Assistant Professor Lewei Zeng is the sole first author, and Associate Professor Xuan Zheng is the sole corresponding author of the paper. Shenzhen University is the first and sole corresponding institution of this work.

Intermediate-volatility (IVOCs) and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) from light-duty gasoline vehicles (LDGVs) are major precursors of secondary organic aerosol (SOA), yet their emission characteristics under evolving engine and aftertreatment technologies remain poorly understood. In this study, oxygenated compounds, primarily acids and carbonyls, accounted for 40.5–58.5% of gaseous I/SVOCs. Besides, the application of gasoline particulate filters (GPFs) increased benzylic carbonyl emissions, suggesting potential oxidative effects. Notably, incorporating oxidized IVOCs into emission profiles refined the IVOC-to-total gaseous organics ratio to 27.8% and also corrected SOA prediction biases by up to 38.2%. These findings underscore the need to prioritize I/SVOCs in emission control strategies and improve SOA modeling accuracy.

The Zheng group is affiliated with the Center for Complex Atmospheric Pollution Control at Shenzhen University, where Academician Jiming Hao of Tsinghua University serves as Honorary Director. The Center maintains close collaborations with leading universities and institutions such as Tsinghua University, Sun Yat-sen University, Tongji University, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, as well as Shenzhen Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau and the Shenzhen Academy of Environmental Sciences. The group focuses on high-level research and talent development in areas including regional and national emission characteristics and inventories of air pollutants, vehicular emission characterization and modeling, transport-related air pollution control planning, and advanced vehicle and alternative fuel technologies. These efforts contribute scientific insights and technical support to Shenzhen’s air quality management and pollution control strategies.