The Determination Of Sub Part-Per-Billion Levels Of Volatile Organic Compounds In Air By Pre-Concentration From Small Sample Volumes

Abstract

Trace level Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in ambient air are normally determined according to EPA Method TO-14. This method describes the analysis in ambient air of 41 VOCs, ranging in boiling point from -29 to 215°C. It covers a concentration range from 0.2 to 20 parts per billion, volume/volume (ppb), and specifies sample enrichment of a 400 mL air sample on glass beads at -160°C. While this sample volume provides sub-ppb levels of VOC detection for target analytes when using a quadrupole mass spectrometer detector in SIM mode or when using GC detectors, the identification of non-target analytes may only be done in full scan mode for higher concentrations. Also with this sample volume a Nafion dryer is needed for water removal thereby lowering the recovery of polar VOCs.

Because of the very high sensitivity of the ion trap MS, relatively small air volumes (60 mL) are adequate to obtain the required or lower detection levels. An integrated air analysis system based on a GC-ion-trap MS has been investigated and is described. This system has a built-in cryogenic trap and necessary valving, internal standard gas sampling loop, and is controlled from the GC-MS workstation. The linearity, precision, and method detection levels obtainable with this system when using small volumes are reported. In addition, examples of the quantitative and qualitative analysis of ambient air samples are shown.