Furan. Determination in workplace air with gas chromatography

Abstract

Furan is colorless, highly volatile and flammable liquid with a specific ether odor. In nature it occurs in some species of wood, it is formed during burning process of wood, tobacco, fuels and also in thermal food processing. In industry furan is used as an intermediate in organic synthesis, resins solvent, during production of lacquer, drugs, stabilizers, insecticides and also in production of chemical compounds which have polymeric and coordination structure. Carcinogenic effect on animals was a base of recognition that furan is a substance which is probably also carcinogenic on humans. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a method of determining furan in workplace air. Developed determination method of furan relies on vapor absorption of this substance on coconut shell charcoal. Furan was extracted by 5% butan-1-ol solution in toluene. Obtained solution was analyzed with chromatography. The study was performed with gas chromatograph coupled with mass spectrometer (GC-MS), equipped with non-polar HP-PONA capillary column (length 50 m, diameter 0.2 mm and the film thickness of the stationary phase 0.5 µm). Developed method is linear in the concentration range of 0.05–1.0 µg/ml, which is equivalent to the range of 0.005–0.1 mg/m3 for 10-L air sample. The analytical method described in this paper makes it possible to determine furan in workplace air in the presence of comorbid substances. The method is precise, accurate and it meets the criteria for procedures for determining chemical agents listed in Standard No. PN-EN 482. The developed method of determining furan in workplace air has been recorded as an analytical procedure (see Appendix). This article discusses the problems of occupational safety and health, which are covered by health sciences and environmental engineering.