title: Development of a short path thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in indoor air.
abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are present in petroleum based products and are combustion by-products of organic matters. Determination of levels of PAHs in the indoor environment is important for assessing human exposure to these chemicals. A new short path thermal desorption (SPTD) gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method for determining levels of PAHs in indoor air was developed. Thermal desorption (TD) tubes packed with glass beads, Carbopack C, and Carbopack B in sequence, were used for sample collection. Indoor air was sampled using a small portable pump over 7 days at 100ml/min. Target PAHs were thermally released and introduced into the GC/MS for analysis through the SPTD unit. During tube desorption, PAHs were cold trapped (-20°C) at the front end of the GC column. Thermal desorption efficiencies were 100% for PAHs with 2 and 3 rings, and 99-97% for PAHs with 4-6 rings. Relative standard deviation (RSD) values among replicate samples spiked at three different levels were around 10-20%. The detection limit of this method was at or below 0.1μg/m3except for naphthalene (0.61μg/m3), fluorene (0.28μg/m3) and phenanthrene (0.35μg/m3). This method was applied to measure PAHs in indoor air in nine residential homes. The levels of PAHs in indoor air found in these nine homes are similar to indoor air values reported by others.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shanghai, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of the Cause and Prevention of Urban Air Pollution Complex, Shanghai, China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: Liyj@saes.sh.cn.
authors.forename: Yingjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Qiming
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xian
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shanghai, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of the Cause and Prevention of Urban Air Pollution Complex, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000032:analysis; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005449:Fluorenes; D009281:Naphthalenes; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; C031721:naphthalene; C041509:fluorene; C031181:phenanthrene
keywords: Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Semi-volatile organic compounds; Short path thermal desorption