Emission Characteristics of Volatile Organic Compounds from Semiconductor Manufacturing

• Published in: Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995) Vol. 53; no. 8; pp. 1029 - 1036
• Main Authors: Chein, HungMin, Chen, Tzu Ming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pittsburgh, PA Taylor & Francis Group 01.08.2003; Air & Waste Management Association; Air and Waste Management Association; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Environmental aspects; Exact sciences and technology; Industry; Manufactured Materials; Organic Chemicals - analysis; Other pollution sources in industry; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Refuse and refuse disposal; Semiconductors; Taiwan; Volatile organic compounds; Volatilization; Waste gases; Taiwan; United States
• ISSN: 1096-2247; 2162-2906
• DOI: 10.1080/10473289.2003.10466239

A huge amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is produced and emitted with waste gases from semiconductor manufacturing processes, such as cleaning, etching, and developing. VOC emissions from semiconductor factories located at Science-Based Industrial Park, Hsin-chu, Taiwan, were measured and characterized in this study. A total of nine typical semiconductor fabricators (fabs) were monitored over a 12-month period (October 2000-September 2001). A flame ionization analyzer was employed to measure the VOC emission rate continuously in a real-time fashion. The amount of chemical use was adopted from the data that were reported to the Environmental Protection Bureau in Hsin-chu County as per the regulation of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration. The VOC emission factor, defined as the emission rate (kg/month) divided by the amount of chemical use (L/month), was determined to be 0.038 ± 0.016 kg/L. A linear regression equation is proposed to fit the data with the correlation coefficient (R 2 ) = 0.863. The emission profiles of VOCs, which were drawn using the gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer analysis method, show that isopropyl alcohol is the dominant compound in most of the fabs.