title: [Stable carbon isotope analysis method for the atmospheric formaldehyde].
abstract: A method of compound-specific stable carbon isotopic analysis for the research about the sources of atmospheric formaldehyde was preliminary studied using gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) via 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) derivatization. In order to evaluate the reproducibility, the accuracy and the carbon isotope effects of the method, formaldehyde with different delta 13C values were used to simulate the sampling procedure. The results show that the maximal analytical deviation for all formaldehyde 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazone is 0.3 per thousand and the average deviations between the determined and theoretical delta 13C values of them are 0.24 per thousand +/- 0.14per thousand (ranged from 0.03 per thousand to 0.35 per thousand), less than 0.5 per thousand the technical specifications of the GC/C/IRMS system. These mean that no carbon isotopic fractionation occurred during the procedure. The study for the indoor and outdoor atmospheric formaldehyde in the restaurant show that the stable carbon isotopic compositions are significant different for different sources of formaldehyde. The present method could provide valuable information about the sources of atmospheric formaldehyde.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Yan-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xin-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.forename: Xin-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guo-Ying
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Jia-Mo
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D010659:Phenylhydrazines / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D010659:Phenylhydrazines; D005557:Formaldehyde; C004787:2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine