title: An analytical method coupling accelerated solvent extraction and HPLC-fluorescence for the quantification of particle-bound PAHs in indoor air sampled with a 3-stages cascade impactor.
abstract: Most of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are associated to airborne particles and their health impact depends on the particle size where they are bound. This work aims to develop a high sensitive analytical technique to quantify particulate PAHs sampled with a 3-stages cascade impactor in order to derive simultaneously their individual concentration in PM1, PM2.5 and PM10. Three key steps of the method were evaluated separately in order to avoid any PAHs loss during the global sample preparation procedure: (1) the accelerated solvent extraction of PAHs from the filter; (2) the primary concentration of the extract until 1 mL by means of a rotary evaporator at 45°C and 220 mbar and (3) the final concentration of the pre-concentrated extract to about 100-150 µL under a gentle nitrogen stream. Each recovery experiment was realized in triplicates. All these steps evaluated independently show that the overall PAHs loss, even for those with a low molecular weight, should not exceed more than a few percent. Extracts were then analyzed by using a HPLC coupled to fluorescence and Diode Array Detectors with the external standard method. The resulting calibration curves containing between 9 and 12 points were plotted in the concentration range of 0.05-45 µg L(-1) for most of the 16 US-EPA priority PAHs and were fully linear (R(2)>0.999). Limits Of Quantification were in the range 0.05-0.47 µg L(-1) corresponding to 0.75-7.05 pg m(-3) for 20 m(3) of pumped air. Finally, taking into account the average PAHs concentrations previously reported in typical European indoor environments, and considering the use of a 3-stages cascade impactor to collect simultaneously PM>10 µm, 2.5 µm<PM<10 µm, 1 µm<PM<2.5 µm and PM<1 (and then to derive PM1, PM2.5 and PM10) for particle-bound PAHs quantification, the sampling duration was estimated to 20-40 h for a sampling flow fixed to 0.5m(3)h(-1).
authors.affiliation: Institut de Chimie pour les Procédés, l'Energie, l'Environnement et la Santé (ICPEES, UMR 7515 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg), 1 rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liaud
authors.affiliation: Institut de Chimie pour les Procédés, l'Energie, l'Environnement et la Santé (ICPEES, UMR 7515 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg), 1 rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Millet
authors.affiliation: Institut de Chimie pour les Procédés, l'Energie, l'Environnement et la Santé (ICPEES, UMR 7515 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg), 1 rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France; In'Air Solutions, 1 rue Blessig, 67000 Strasbourg, France. Electronic address: slecalve@unistra.fr.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Le Calvé
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005453:Fluorescence; D057230:Limit of Detection; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012997:Solvents
keywords: Cascade impactor; Indoor air; PAHs; Particles