Determination of volatile organic compounds in workplace air by multisorbent adsorption/thermal desorption-GC/MS.
Investigation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was first conducted in the air of class-100 cleanrooms at liquid crystal display (LCD) fabrication facilities. Air samples were collected on multisorbent tubes (including Carbopack B, Carbopack C, and Carbosieve S-III) and analyzed using adsorption/thermal desorption coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Optimal conditions lead to average recoveries in the range of 96.2-98.2%, and method detection limits between 0.38 and 0.78 ppb, under the condition of 1-l sampling volume and 80% relative humidity. The method appears to be accurate, sensitive, simple and well-suited for determining VOC distributions from various stages of LCD manufacturing process and temporal variations of the analyte concentrations. About 15 VOCs were identified in workplace air. The major pollutants such as propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (PGMEA), butyl acetate, and acetone that are commonly used in the opto-electronics industry were detected and accurately quantified with the established method.
Wu
Chien-Hou
CH
Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Atomic Science, National Tsing Hua University, 101 Sec. 2 Kuang Fu Road, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan, ROC.
Feng
Chien-Tai
CT
Lo
Yu-Shiu
YS
Lin
Tsai-Yin
TY
Lo
Jiunn-Guang
JG
D000327:Adsorption; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007221:Industry; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014835:Volatilization
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D009930:Organic Chemicals