Determination of fragrance allergens in indoor air by active sampling followed by ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Fragrances are ubiquitous pollutants in the environment, present in the most of household products, air fresheners, insecticides and cosmetics. Commercial perfumes may contain hundreds of individual fragrance chemicals. In addition to the widespread use and exposure to fragranced products, many of the raw fragrance materials have limited available health and safety data. Because of their nature as artificial fragrances, inhalation should be considered as an important exposure pathway, especially in indoor environments. In this work, a very simple, fast, and sensitive methodology for the analysis of 24 fragrance allergens in indoor air is presented. Considered compounds include those regulated by the EU Directive, excluding limonene; methyl eugenol was also included due to its toxicity. The proposed methodology is based on the use of a very low amount of adsorbent to retain the target compounds, and the rapid ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction (UAE) using a very low volume of solvent which avoids further extract concentration. Quantification was performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The influence of main factors involved in the UAE step (type of adsorbent and solvent, solvent volume and extraction time) was studied using an experimental design approach to account for possible factor interactions. Using the optimized procedure, 0.2 m⁻³ air are sampled, analytes are retained on 25 mg Florisil, from which they are extracted by UAE (5 min) with 2 mL ethyl acetate. Linearity was demonstrated in a wide concentration range. Efficiency of the total sampling-extraction process was studied at several concentration levels (1, 5 and 125 μg m⁻³), obtaining quantitative recoveries, and good precision (RSD < 10%). Method detection limits were ≤0.6 μg m⁻³. Finally, the proposed method was applied to real samples collected in indoor environments in which several of the target compounds were determined.     

Determination of volatile organic compounds in contaminated air using semipermeable membrane devices

Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were evaluated as passive samplers for the determination of 26 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in contaminated air of occupational environments. A direct methodology based on the use of head-space-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) was developed for VOCs determinations in SPMDs, without any sample pre-treatment and avoiding the use of solvents. A desorption temperature of 150 °C for 10 min was sufficient for a sensitive VOCs determination providing limits of detection in the range of 15 ng SPMD⁻¹ for 21 of 26 studied compounds. Linear and equilibrium uptake models were established for each VOC from compound isotherms. Highly volatile compounds were slightly absorbed and moderately volatile compounds were strongly absorbed by SPMDs. This study is the first precedent of the use of SPMDs for the simultaneous sampling of a wide number of VOCs. The use of SPMDs is a simple and low cost alternative to ordinary sampling devices such as Radiello^® diffusive samplers or badge-type solid-phase supports.     

Simultaneous determination of hydroquinone, resorcinol, phenol, m-cresol and p-cresol in untreated air samples using spectrofluorimetry and a custom multiple linear regression-successive projection algorithm

In this study, a novel, simple, and efficient spectrofluorimetric method to determine directly and simultaneously five phenolic compounds (hydroquinone, resorcinol, phenol, m-cresol and p-cresol) in air samples is presented. For this purpose, variable selection by the successive projections algorithm (SPA) is used in order to obtain simple multiple linear regression (MLR) models based on a small subset of wavelengths. For comparison, partial least square (PLS) regression is also employed in full-spectrum. The concentrations of the calibration matrix ranged from 0.02 to 0.2 mg L⁻¹ for hydroquinone, from 0.05 to 0.6 mg L⁻¹ for resorcinol, and from 0.05 to 0.4 mg L⁻¹ for phenol, m-cresol and p-cresol; incidentally, such ranges are in accordance with the Argentinean environmental legislation. To verify the accuracy of the proposed method a recovery study on real air samples of smoking environment was carried out with satisfactory results (94-104%). The advantage of the proposed method is that it requires only spectrofluorimetric measurements of samples and chemometric modeling for simultaneous determination of five phenols. With it, air is simply sampled and no pre-treatment sample is needed (i.e., separation steps and derivatization reagents are avoided) that means a great saving of time.     

以谷氨酸二乙酯为头基的Bola型两亲分子在气液界面的组装:手性相互作用与膜结构

研究了双头基两亲分子(Bolaamphiphile)N,N′-1,14-十四烷二酸酰-L-谷氨酸二乙酯(L-HDGE)和它的对映异构体D-HDGE在气液界面的组装;考察了HDGE分子的界面组装结构以及头部基团的手性,膜压和离子液体亚相对组装结构的影响.采用原子力显微镜(AFM)和傅里叶变换红外(FTIR)光谱对组装体的微观结构和组装机理进行了研究.结果表明,HDGE(L-HDGE或D-HDGE)在水亚相上可以组装得到平行排列,宽为50-120nm,高为1-5nm的纳米线.而将L-HDGE与D-HDGE混合组装时,只会得到疏松的薄膜结构.红外光谱表明HDGE分子的异手性相互作用强于同手性作用.在表面压继续上升时,纳米线可以发生一定聚集生成纳米带.亚相为一定浓度的离子液体时,会促进分子的聚集,在膜压的共同影响下,纳米带可以卷曲形成螺旋结构,螺旋的方向取决于头基的分子手性.     

单壁碳纳米管上毒性苯气体净化的分子模拟

采用巨正则系综蒙特卡罗(GCMC)方法研究了空气中微量苯组分在单臂碳纳米管(SWNTs)上的吸附净化. 模拟表明, 具有较大孔径的(20,20)纳米管比较适合吸附纯苯蒸汽, 而对于移除空气中的毒性苯物质, 苯的吸附选择性分别在(12,12)纳米管及4.0 MPa时和(18,18)纳米管及0.1 MPa时出现最小值和最大值. 为了解释这一异常行为, 我们进一步分析了N₂-O₂-C₆H₆混合物的局部密度分布、吸附分子构型和概率密度分布, 发现(18,18)纳米管内外完全被苯分子占据, 而对于(12,12)纳米管, 由于存在更强的吸附质-吸附剂相互作用, 空气分子更倾向于吸附在管与管之间的间隙. 此外, 吸附分子的空间有序参数表明大多数苯分子采取“平躺”在纳米管表面的定位, 而线性的N₂和O₂分子则多数平行于孔轴方向. 最后研究了温度和苯分子主体相浓度对分离效果的影响. 我们发现较大孔中的选择性随着温度的增加比小孔下降更加明显. 与此对比, 主体相苯浓度对小孔中的选择性起到更加重要的作用.     

Use of carbon adsorption traps combined with high resolution gas chromatography – mass spectrometry for the analysis of polar and non-polar C4-C14 hydrocarbons involved in photochemical smog formation

A method has been developed for the collection and analysis of polar and non-polar C₄-C₁₄ hydrocarbons involved in the formation of photochemical smog. Enrichment of hydrocarbons from both polluted and unpolluted areas has been achieved with three-stage traps packed with carbon adsorbents of different surface area; the use of a home-made desorption unit employing cryofocusing then enables the determination of the compounds by HRGC-FID. Two-stage traps filled with graphitic carbon have been used prior to GC-MS identification and quantitation of compounds producing overlapping peaks. The methodology has been tested in the urban area of Rome and in a pine forest, and more than 140 different compounds identified and quantitated. Many of the constituents were found to be oxygenated, either formed by photochemical reactions or of anthropogenic origin.     

Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric determination of lead in high-purity reagents with flow-injection on-line microcolumn preconcentration and separation using a macrocycle immobilized silica gel sorbent

A fully automated procedure for the determination of ng l⁻¹ amounts of lead has been developed using flow injection (FI) online column preconcentration coupled with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The proposed FI manifold and its operation make possible the introduction of the total eluate volume into the graphite atomizer, avoiding the necessity for optimization of subsampling the eluate. The interference of other heavy metal ions due to competition for active sites of the sorbent is overcome using a highly selective macrocycle immobilized on silica gel (Pb-02). Lead is adsorbed on a microcolumn (50 μl) packed with Pb-02, and after washing the column with dilute nitric acid, air is introduced to remove all solution from the column and connecting tubing. The sorbed analyte is then eluted quantitatively into the graphite tube atomizer, preheated to 100°C, with 36 μl of ETDA solution (0.035 mol l⁻¹, pH 10.5), propelled by air in order to minimize dispersion. The collection efficiency was 77% and with a sample loading flow rate of 3 ml min⁻¹ and a 60 s preconcentration time, the enhancement factor was 77 and the throughput was 17 samples per hour. The relative standard deviation (n = 10) at the 300 ng l⁻¹ level was 2.7%, and the detection limit (3σ) was 0.4 ng l⁻¹. No interference from heavy metals was observed, but ions of Ba²⁺, Sr²⁺ and K⁺ were found to interfere when the concentration ratios of interferent to lead exceeded values of 2000, 20 000 and 200 000, respectively. Quantitative recovery of lead was achieved from sodium, magnesium, aluminum, lanthanum and heavy metal salt solutions. The high selectivity and sensitivity, combined with extremely low blank values, make the proposed technique particularly attractive for the analysis of high-purity reagents, semiconductors and other high-purity materials. Results are presented for the determination of lead in some high-purity reagents.     

Selective determination of airborne hexavalent chromium using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A new method for determining ultra-trace levels of hexavalent chromium in ambient air has been developed. The method involves a 24-h sampling of air into potassium hydroxide solution, followed by silica gel column separation of chromium (VI), then preconcentration by complexation and solvent extraction. The chromium (VI) complex was dissolved in nitric acid. The resultant chromium ions were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) using a dynamic reaction cell (DRC) with ammonia as the reactive gas to reduce polyatomic interferences. The interconversion of chromium in potassium hydroxide solution and air sample matrix were investigated under ambient conditions. It was found that there was no conversion of chromium (VI) into chromium (III) species. However, it was observed that some chromium (III) species were converted into chromium (VI) species. For a KOH solution containing 100 μg l⁻¹ of chromium (III) species, the rate of conversion was found to be 3% after 24 h exposure, 8% after 48 h, 10% after 72 h and no further conversion was observed thereafter. However, in a solution containing air sample matrix, 9.3% of chromium (III) converted to chromium (VI) within 6 h, and during the course of a 11-day exposure period, 13% (range 8–17%) of chromium (III) converted to chromium (VI). The method detection limit (MDL) for chromium (VI) in potassium hydroxide solution (0.025 M) was found to be 2×10⁻² μg l⁻¹. This is equivalent to 0.2 ng m⁻³ (for 23 m³ air sampled into 200 ml of KOH solution over a 24-h period). The recovery of spiked chromium (VI) from solutions containing air sample matrix was 95±9% (n=8). Matrix related interferences were estimated to be less than 10% based on recovery studies. The concentration of airborne chromium (VI) in Sydney residential areas was found to be less than 0.2 ng m⁻³, however, in industrial areas the concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 1.3 ng m⁻³ using this analytical procedure.     

Langmuir monolayers from perfluorobutyl-n-eicosane

Perfluorobutyl-n-eicosane (abbreviated as F4H20) was spread at the air/water as Langmuir monolayers and studied under different experimental conditions, such as spreading volume, subphase temperature and compression speed. The Langmuir monolayer experiments (π-A isotherms) have been complemented with Brewster angle microscopy results, which enabled direct visualization of the monolayers’ structure and estimation of the film thickness at different stages of compression. It has been found that the molecules are oriented almost vertically (with respect to the interface) in the vicinity of film collapse. The negative sign of the measured surface potential, ΔV, is evidence for the orientation of F4H20 molecules with their perfluorinated parts exposed towards the air. In the case of F4H20 a limited fluorination relative to perfluoroeicosane also results in monolayer formation, in contrast to eicosane itself, which forms lenses.