title: Determination of volatile organic compounds in air by GC/MS: Italian proficiency tests.
abstract: Three national proficiency scheme rounds on the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air have been organized; the first between April and June 2007, the second between May and July 2008, and the third between April and June 2010. A group of about 10 Italian laboratories used the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Method TO-15 for the determination of VOCs in air collected in canisters. A canister containing a VOC mixture, prepared by dynamic dilution from certified reference materials, was shipped to each participating laboratory; VOC concentrations were between 2 and 50 parts per billion by volume. Homogeneity of the samples prepared was tested and considered adequate according to ISO 13528:2005(E); stability was also checked. The canisters were analyzed by the laboratories within 30 days by GC/MS. The data were analyzed by robust statistics. Good accordance among laboratory results was obtained.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Regional Agency of Veneto (ARPAV), Laboratories Department, Padua, Italy. gformenton@arpa.veneto.it
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Formenton
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bassetto
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Lorenzo
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D007558:Italy; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds