Development of a method for simultaneous determinations of nitrogen oxides, aldehydes and ketones in air samples

Abstract

Nitrogen oxides, aldehydes and ketones are important environmental toxins which frequently occur together ( e.g. in automobile exhaust and in tobacco smoke). In this paper a convenient method for a simultaneous analysis of nitrogen oxides, aldehydes and ketones in air is presented for the first time. This method is based on the well-established and practical 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method for the determination of aldehydes and ketones. Detection limits for the determination of nitrogen oxides were 10 ppb (v/v) using solid sorbents, 50 ppb (v/v) using impingers (sampling at 0.81/min for 15 min), and 150 ppb (v/v) using passive sampling devices (sampling for 4 h).