Separation of molecular tracers sorbed onto atmospheric particulate matter by flash chromatography.
In to order increase sensitivity and to reduce the background induced by matrix effects, a method was developed that uses flash chromatography to separate various compounds present in atmospheric aerosol samples prior to their analysis with different analytical techniques (GC-MS, GC-FID, HPLC). For this purpose, flash chromatography using a 4 g silica gel column crossed by eluent at a flow rate of 20 mL min(-1) was used. An eluent with enhanced polarity is needed to separate nonpolar (linear and branched alkanes), semipolar (PAH, nitro-PAH and cholesterol) and polar (methoxyphenols, alkanoic acids, and levoglucosan) compounds. Three combinations of solvents were used: hexane for the nonpolar fraction (F1), toluene/hexane for the semipolar fraction (F2) and dimethylformamide for the polar fraction (F3). The use of different eluents for each fraction allows separation of the sample to be accomplished with good repeatability and satisfying yields [85 +/- 5% for F1, 81 +/- 8% (PAHs), 89 +/- 6% (nitro-PAHs) and 74 +/- 7% (cholesterol) for F2 and 79 +/- 7% (n-alkanoic acids), 40 +/- 11% (methoxyphenols) and 77 +/- 6% (levoglucosan) for F3]. The methoxyphenol yields were low due to losses during the concentration/evaporation step. This method was then applied to analyse the organic composition of particles collected at an urban site in Strasbourg (France).
Lottmann
Audrey
A
Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie de l'Atmosphère, Centre de Géochimie de la Surface UMR 7517 CNRS--Université Louis Pasteur, 1 rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France.
Cadé
Emilie
E
Geagea
Majdi Lahd
ML
Delhomme
Olivier
O
Grand
Catherine
C
Veilleraud
Claire
C
Rizet
Anne-Laure
AL
Mirabel
Philippe
P
Millet
Maurice
M
D000042:Absorption; D000336:Aerosols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001272:Atmosphere; D005591:Chemical Fractionation / Q000379:methods*; D002845:Chromatography / Q000379:methods*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*
D000336:Aerosols; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D052638:Particulate Matter; D012997:Solvents