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https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1589
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1589
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
02 Apr 2026
| 02 Apr 2026
Status: this preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Global and regional emissions of 1,2-dichloroethane derived from AGAGE and NOAA observations
Abstract. For the first time, we present long-term, ongoing atmospheric measurements of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE, CH2ClCH2Cl) from the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) global monitoring networks. DCE is an industrially produced, very short-lived chlorinated substance (Cl-VSLS) that has the potential to contribute chlorine to the stratosphere and cause ozone depletion. Compared to other Cl-VSLS, DCE is produced in higher volumes for its primary use as a feedstock in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) manufacture. This production has sustained annual mean mole fractions at the Earth’s surface of between 5 and 10 ppt during 2017–2023, making it the third most abundant Cl-VSLS. In this study we estimate mean global emissions for 2017–2023 of 453 [268, 638] Gg yr−1 using the AGAGE observations, and 525 [316, 734] Gg yr−1 using the NOAA observations. We also use AGAGE measurements to estimate regional emissions for northwest Europe (2.06 [1.31, 2.65] Gg yr−1) and California (0.23 [0, 0.37] Gg yr−1), two domains with sufficient observational coverage to enable this approach. Our global emissions estimates are consistent (within uncertainties) with the only previously published estimate by Hossaini et al. (2024), whereas our regional emission estimates are at least an order of magnitude smaller than those in that study. This suggests global total emissions may be well constrained, but their spatial distribution remains uncertain. Improved measurement coverage in key source regions of DCE could address that uncertainty and better constrain the contribution of DCE to ozone-depleting chlorine in the stratosphere.
How to cite. Pitt, J. R., Rust, D., Ganesan, A., Western, L. M., Vollmer, M. K., Mühle, J., Bühlmann, T., Harth, C. M., Montzka, S. A., Hall, B. D., Vimont, I. J., Manning, A. J., Redington, A. L., Henne, S., Melo, D. B., Annadate, S., Constantin, L., Murphy, B. M., Rigby, M., Young, D., O'Doherty, S., Wenger, A., Lunder, C. R., Hermansen, O., Wagenhäuser, T., Engel, A., Arduini, J., Maione, M., Yun, J., Mitrevski, B., Krummel, P. B., Fraser, P. J., Kim, J., Wang, R. H. J., Rhee, T. S., Salameh, P. K., Spain, T. G., Reimann, S., Prinn, R. G., Weiss, R. F., and Stanley, K. M.: Global and regional emissions of 1,2-dichloroethane derived from AGAGE and NOAA observations, EGUsphere [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1589, 2026.
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Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Dominique Rust
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Anita Ganesan
School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Luke M. Western
Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Martin K. Vollmer
Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Jens Mühle
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Tobias Bühlmann
Laboratory for Gas Analysis, METAS, Federal Institute of Metrology, Bern-Wabern, Switzerland
Christina M. Harth
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Stephen A. Montzka
NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
Brad D. Hall
NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
Isaac J. Vimont
NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
Alistair J. Manning
Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom
Alison L. Redington
Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom
Stephan Henne
Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Daniela B. Melo
Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Saurabh Annadate
Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Urbino, Urbino, Italy
Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, Italian National Research Council, Bologna, Italy
School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
Lionel Constantin
Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Brendan M. Murphy
Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Matthew Rigby
Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Dickon Young
Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Simon O'Doherty
Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Angelina Wenger
Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Chris R. Lunder
NILU, Kjeller, Norway
Ove Hermansen
NILU, Kjeller, Norway
Thomas Wagenhäuser
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Andreas Engel
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Jgor Arduini
Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Urbino, Urbino, Italy
Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, Italian National Research Council, Bologna, Italy
Michela Maione
Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Urbino, Urbino, Italy
Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, Italian National Research Council, Bologna, Italy
Jaegeun Yun
School of Earth System Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
Blagoj Mitrevski
CSIRO Environment, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia
Paul B. Krummel
CSIRO Environment, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia
Paul J. Fraser
CSIRO Environment, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia
Jooil Kim
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Ray H. J. Wang
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
Tae Siek Rhee
Korea Polar Research Institute, KIOST, Incheon, South Korea
Peter K. Salameh
GC Soft Inc., Carlsbad, CA, USA
T. Gerard Spain
School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
Stefan Reimann
Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Ronald G. Prinn
Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Ray F. Weiss
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Kieran M. Stanley
Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Short summary
1,2‑Dichloroethane (DCE) can contribute to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer. Whether DCE reaches the stratosphere depends on where and when it is emitted. We present the ongoing measurements of DCE from the AGAGE and NOAA global monitoring networks. For the period 2017–2023, our modelled average global emissions based on these observations align with another study, while regional estimates differ. This suggests remaining uncertainty in the geographical distribution of emissions.
1,2‑Dichloroethane (DCE) can contribute to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer....
This paper describes measurements of 1,2-dicloroethane (DCE) at sites within the AGAGE and NOAA networks. The measurements are described and used in global and regional modeling to estimate global emissions and regional emissions for NW Europe and California. The global emissions are consistent with a previous study by Hossaini, but the regional emissions are much lower than Hossaini.
The paper is very clearly written, the results are significant and I recommend publication after addressing some minor comments.
Line 366-369 - The authors say that the increasing trend in DCE mole fraction in the archive samples is qualitatively consistent with increasing emissions after 2002 derived by Hossaini, but that it is not possible to provide a top-down estimate of global emissions. Is it possible to be a bit more quantitative, e.g. using scenarios of global emissions in the forward model, starting with the Hossaini emissions, with a specified latitudinal emission distribution consistent with Hossaini et al or the inferred distribution in this study? Couldn't a couple of different scenarios run forward in the 12-box model give some indication of the global emissions? I accept that there are not enough archive observations for the global inversion, but it still might be possible to be more quantitative.
Figs 7, F2 and F4 - I understand that it is difficult to show the prior and posterior emissions with the same linear scale. Have the authors tried a non-linear scale (e.g. such as used in Fig 6 of Manning et al., 2021 listed in the reference list)? It would be nice to be able to see more of the details in both the prior and posterior maps, but this is hard with the linear scale.
Line 477 - this is the first mention of the toxicity of DCE, it could be mentioned in the introduction.
I do think the paper would benefit from a Conclusions section, even if relatively short, and this is consistent with the Guidelines for authors at https://www.atmospheric-chemistry-and-physics.net/policies/guidelines_for_authors.html. There is an Implications Section, which could stay as it is, but there is no summary of the main results relating them to the objectives, other than in the abstract, and I think this is missed at the end of the paper. The abstract is at maximum length, perhaps that could be shortened and some detail moved to the Conclusions. The paper ends too abruptly without a summary at the end.