title: Capillary electrophoresis determinative and GC-MS confirmatory method for water-soluble organic acids in airborne particulate matter and vehicle emission.
abstract: Urban fine airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) and vehicle emission samples were studied for water-soluble low-molecular-weight carboxylic acids using CE with indirect UV detection. Further identification of these acids was achieved using GC-MS as their butyl esters (after derivatization with BF3/butanol). Several dicarboxylic acids in the range C2-C10 including straight-chain, branched-chain, cis- and trans-unsaturated, and aromatic acids were confirmed by GC-MS. In addition, aromatic acids such as benzoate, phthalate, terephthalate, isophthalate, and 4-methylphtalate were present in such samples, but some of these were not well resolved by the used CE method. Oxocarboxylic acids (Cn(w) with n > 4) were also identified by GC-MS but not determined by CE due to lack of standards. The rapidity and simplicity of the CE method were clearly demonstrated, and the method was observed to be advantageous for routine monitoring of water-soluble organic acids in airborne PM2.5 and vehicle emission at low microg/L levels.
authors.affiliation: Analysis and Air Quality Division, Environmental Technology Centre, Environment Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. ewa.dabek@ec.gc.ca
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dabek-Zlotorzynska
authors.forename: Rocio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aranda-Rodriguez
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary / Q000379:methods; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D005742:Gasoline; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D005742:Gasoline; D001335:Vehicle Emissions