Evaluation of an in-injection port thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for analysis of non-polar organic compounds in ambient aerosol samples

J Chromatogr A. 2008 Jul 25;1200(2):217-27. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2008.05.056. Epub 2008 May 24.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aerosols / analysis*
  • Aerosols / chemistry
  • Air Pollutants / analysis
  • Air Pollutants / chemistry
  • Alkanes / analysis
  • Alkanes / chemistry
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Organic Chemicals / analysis*
  • Organic Chemicals / chemistry
  • Phthalic Acids / analysis
  • Phthalic Acids / chemistry
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / chemistry
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Triterpenes / analysis
  • Triterpenes / chemistry

Substances

  • Aerosols
  • Air Pollutants
  • Alkanes
  • Organic Chemicals
  • Phthalic Acids
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
  • Triterpenes
  • hopane
  • phthalic acid