Evaluation of solid-phase microextraction with PDMS for air sampling of gaseous organophosphate flame-retardants and plasticizers.
As an inexpensive, simple, and low-solvent consuming extraction technique, the suitability of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sorbent was investigated as a quantitative method for sampling gaseous organophosphate triesters in air. These compounds have become ubiquitous in indoor air, because of their widespread use as additive flame retardants/plasticizers in various indoor materials. Results obtained by sampling these compounds at controlled air concentrations using SPME and active sampling on glass fibre filters were compared to evaluate the method. A constant linear airflow of 10 cm s(-1) over the fibres was applied to increase the extraction rate. For extraction of triethyl phosphate with a 100-microm PDMS fibre, equilibrium was achieved after 8 h. The limit of detection was determined to be less than 10 pg m(-3). The PDMS-air partition coefficients, Kfs, for the individual organophosphate triesters were determined to be in the range 5-60 x 10(6) at room temperature (22-23 degrees C). Air measurements were performed utilising the determined coefficients for quantification. In samples taken from a lecture room four different airborne organophosphate esters were identified, the most abundant of which was tris(chloropropyl) phosphate, at the comparatively high level of 1.1 microg m(-3). The results from SPME and active sampling had comparable repeatability (RSD less than 17%), and the determined concentrations were also similar. The results suggest that the investigated compounds were almost entirely associated with the gaseous phase at the time and place sampled.
Isetun
Sindra
S
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
Nilsson
Ulrika
U
Colmsjö
Anders
A
D000327:Adsorption; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004058:Diffusion; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D000393:Air Pollutants; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D005411:Flame Retardants; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D010968:Plasticizers