title: Determination of maleic anhydride in occupational atmospheres.
abstract: Maleic anhydride has many uses in industry, but workers' exposure to it is poorly known. Our new method allows airborne maleic anhydride to be determined with a limit of quantification of 1 microg/m3 per 12 1 of air, i.e., the concentration of about 0.01 times the occupational exposure standard (0.4 mg/m3). Air samples are collected in Tenax tubes containing sodium sulfate as a drying agent. Maleic anhydride is eluted with methyl tert.-butyl ether containing 5% acetonitrile and 0.1% acetic anhydride, and determined by capillary gas chromatography with electron-capture detection without interference from generic anhydrides. The tested method suits both long-term and short-term measurements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FIN-00250 Helsinki, Finland. pirkko.pfaffli@occuphealth.fi
authors.forename: Pirkko
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pfäffli
authors.forename: Mervi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hämeilä
authors.forename: Leea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kuusimäki
authors.forename: Ritva
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wirmoila
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008299:Maleic Anhydrides / Q000032:analysis*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D008299:Maleic Anhydrides