Use of thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TD–GC–MS) on identification of odorant emission focus by volatile organic compounds characterisation

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from several different municipal solid wastes’ treatment plants in Mallorca (Spain) have been analysed by thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TD–GC–MS). Ambient (immission) air was collected during February and March 2011 by active sampling onto sorbents Tenax™ TA and Carboxen™ 1000. The study presents the chemical characterisation of 93 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from an overall set of 84 immission air samples. 70 VOCs were positively identified.The linear fit for all 93 external standard calibration, from 10mgL−1 to 150mgL−1 (n=4), was within the range 0.974<r2<0.998. Limits of detection of the method (LOD) for all the standards were within the range 1.1–4,213pg, as the absolute standard amount spiked into sorbent tubes in 1μL standard mixture (dissolved in methanol).Overall results stated systematic correlation between waste’s nature and VOCs’ air composition. Organic wastes show main contribution of terpenes, waste water sludge residues’ of reduced sulphured compounds (RSCs) and municipal solid wastes show contribution of a wide sort of VOCs. The use of a chemometric approach for variable’s reduction to 12 principal components enables evaluation of similarities and dissimilarities between facilities. PCA clearly related samples to its corresponding facility on the basis of their VOCs composition and the ambient temperature.