Method development and field measurements for polar volatile organic compounds in ambient air

Abstract

The paper reports on a program which had two main objectives: (1) to develop an analytical method for polar volatile organic compounds (PVOCs) in ambient air using sample collection in canisters and (2) to perform PVOC analysis on ambient air samples collected at two sites formerly used in the U.S. EPA's Toxic Air Monitoring Study (TAMS). The analytical method consists of gas chromatographic separation of PVOCs with quantification by a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. The PVOCs most often found in ambient samples include methanol, ethanol, acetone, 2-propanol, methyl ethyl ketone, and 1-butanol. Measured levels of these species often substantially exceed the levels of benzene and toluene present in the same samples. (Copyright (c) 1993 American Chemical Society.)