Articles | Volume 26, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-2597-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-2597-2026
Research article
 | 
18 Feb 2026
Research article |  | 18 Feb 2026

Heat and continental transport shape the variability of volatile organic compounds in the Eastern Mediterranean: insights from multi-year observations and regional modeling

Anchal Garg, Maximilien Desservettaz, Aliki Christodoulou, Theodoros Christoudias, Vijay Punjaji Kanawade, Chrysanthos Savvides, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Shahid Naqui, Tuija Jokinen, Joseph Byron, Jonathan Williams, Nikos Mihalopoulos, Eleni Liakakou, Jean Sciare, and Efstratios Bourtsoukidis

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This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Cited articles

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Baalbaki, R., Pikridas, M., Jokinen, T., Laurila, T., Dada, L., Bezantakos, S., Ahonen, L., Neitola, K., Maisser, A., Bimenyimana, E., Christodoulou, A., Unga, F., Savvides, C., Lehtipalo, K., Kangasluoma, J., Biskos, G., Petäjä, T., Kerminen, V.-M., Sciare, J., and Kulmala, M.: Towards understanding the characteristics of new particle formation in the Eastern Mediterranean, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 9223–9251, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9223-2021, 2021. 
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This study reports multi-year (2022–2024) measurements of 76 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at a rural site in Cyprus. Oxygenated VOCs were the most abundant and showed strong daytime increases due to sunlight-driven chemistry.  Air-mass analysis showed that transport from Middle East strongly influenced aromatic VOC levels. Climate–chemistry modeling underestimated most VOCs, highlighting gaps in current emission and chemical processes.
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