title: Comparison of two solid-phase microextraction methods for the quantitative analysis of VOCs in indoor air.
abstract: Competitive adsorption on adsorptive solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibres implies careful determination of operating conditions for reliable quantitative analysis of VOCs in indoor air. With this objective, two analytical approaches, involving non-equilibrium and equilibrium extraction, were compared. The average detection limit obtained for GC-MS analysis of nine VOCs by the equilibrium method is 0.2 microg m(-3), compared with 1.9 microg m(-3) with the non-equilibrium method. The effect of the relative humidity of the air on the calibration plots was studied, and shown to affect acetone adsorption only. Hence, the concentrations that can be accurately determined are up to 9 micromol m(-3). The methods were then applied to indoor air containing different concentrations of VOCs. The non-equilibrium method, involving short extraction time, can be used for detection of pollution peaks whereas equilibrium extraction is preferable for measurement of sub-microg m(-3) ground concentration levels.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Génie de l'Environnement Industriel, Ecole des Mines d'Alès, Hélioparc, 2 avenue Pierre Angot, 64053 Pau Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Larroque
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Desauziers
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mocho
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction / Q000379:methods*; D014835:Volatilization; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014867:Water