Rapid Sampling and Determination of Low Molecular Weight Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Air by a Needle Trap Device Coupled with Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS)

Abstract

Low molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (LPAHs) are widely present in the environment which poses a serious threat to human health. However, current preprocessing methods in detection are complicated. In this study, a method for rapid sampling and determination of LPAHs in the air was established using a needle trap device coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The experimental parameters for NTD-GC-MS were optimized. This method has a linear calibration range from 10 to 1000 ng/L with correlation coefficients (R 2) ≥ 0.990. The limits of detection and limits of quantification were from 0.40 to 0.55 ng/L and 1.33 to 1.82 ng/L, respectively. The recoveries were between 85.63% and 106.6%, and the relative standard deviations were below 12.34%. The method was applied to the determination of LPAHs in a smoking room and an auto-shop paint booth. In the former, the only detected LPAH was naphthalene, for which the highest concentration in a day was 471.4 ± 102.1 ng/L. In the paint booth, the highest concentrations of acenaphthene and fluorene were 203.5 ± 32.15 and 184.0 ± 29.64 ng/L, respectively. The results are meaningful for the occupationally exposed population and those suffering from secondhand smoke. The results show that NTD provides a fast and accurate sampling technology for volatile organic compounds from gases.