title: A positive chemical ionization GC/MS method for the determination of airborne ethylene glycol and propylene glycols in non-occupational environments.
abstract: An analytical method for ethylene glycol and propylene glycols has been developed for measuring airborne levels of these chemicals in non-occupational environments such as residences and office buildings. The analytes were collected on charcoal tubes, solvent extracted, and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using a positive chemical ionization technique. The method had a method detection limit of 0.07 microg m(-3) for ethylene glycol and 0.03 microg m(-3) for 1,2- and 1,3-propylene glycols, respectively, based on a 1.44 m3 sampling volume. Indoor air samples of several residential homes and other indoor environments have been analyzed. The median concentrations of ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol in nine residential indoor air samples were 53 microg m(-3) and 13 microg m(-3) respectively with maximum values of 223 microg m(-3) and 25 microg m(-3) detected for ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol respectively. The concentrations of these two chemicals in one office and two laboratories were at low microg m(-3) levels. The maximum concentration of 1,3-propylene glycol detected in indoor air was 0.1 microg m(-3).
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Research Division, Health Canada, AL: 0800C, EHC Building, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Canada K1A 0L2. jiping_zhu@hc-sc.gc.ca
authors.forename: Jiping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Yong-Lai
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Bio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aikawa
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D002170:Canada; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019855:Ethylene Glycol / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D019946:Propylene Glycol / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019946:Propylene Glycol; D019855:Ethylene Glycol