Evaluation of an in-injection port thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for analysis of non-polar organic compounds in ambient aerosol samples.
Thermal desorption coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS) is an alternative to solvent extraction (SE)-based GC/MS (SE-GC/MS) for the analysis of non-polar organic compounds in filter or impactor-collected aerosols. TD-GC/MS has no sample pretreatment and requires a small filter aliquot for detecting individual organic compounds. The performance of an in-injection port TD-GC/MS is evaluated for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), n-alkanes, iso-/anteiso-alkanes, hopanes, steranes, branched alkanes, cyclohexanes, alkenes, and phthalates in standards and ambient air samples. Replicate analysis for 132 organic compounds showed relative standard deviations <10%, with the majority <5%. Accuracy for 15 PAHs, determined with NIST standard reference material (SRM) 1649a urban dust, was within +/-5% of the certified values. TD-GC/MS and SE-GC/MS method comparisons for 14 Hong Kong ambient samples agreed within 11% for 106 non-polar compounds. For 19 Tong Liang, China samples, agreement was within 13% for 23 PAHs.
Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV 89512, USA.
Steven Sai Hang
SS
Ho
Jian Zhen
JZ
Yu
Judith C
JC
Chow
Barbara
B
Zielinska
John G
JG
Watson
Elber Hoi Leung
EH
Sit
James J
JJ
Schauer
D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D000473:Alkanes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D000473:Alkanes; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014315:Triterpenes; C025206:hopane; C032279:phthalic acid