Title: Determination of BTEX Compounds in Ambient Air Using Solid Phase Microextraction Gas ChromatographyM
1Determination of BTEX Compounds in Ambient Air
Using Solid Phase Microextraction Gas
Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Christopher L. Marcum1 Bert C. Lynn2
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Kentucky
University, Richmond, KY - Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky,
Lexington KY
Conclusions
Introduction
Results and Discussion
- Air quality is of paramount importance. Exposure
to air which contains contaminants can lead to
major health problems including nervous system
damage. - Recently, solid phase microextraction (SPME) has
been offered as an alternative to traditional air
sampling techniques for determination of air
contaminants. - The purpose of our study is to develop a
technique for the determination of BTEX compounds
(benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) in
ambient indoor air using SPME, coupled with gas
chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). - Evidence also shows a possible link between these
BTEX contaminants and electronic equipment, such
as laser printers and copiers. -
- SPME proved to be a very simple technique for air
sampling and, when coupled with GC/MS, was very
sensitive and selective for volatile organic
compounds, including BTEX compounds. - Although concentrations were not determined, the
chemistry copy room, chemistry office, and
intellectual property office had the highest
levels of contamination from BTEX compounds. - We found no observable link between either the
presence or the use of a laser printer and an
increase in BTEX compounds in the air. - We also were unable to link the presence of a
copy machine to an increase in BTEX contamination.
Future Work
Experimental Methods
- Air sampling was accomplished through the use of
a carboxen/PDMS SPME fiber placed in a manual
holder. Before sampling, each fiber was
conditioned for 2 hours in a hot GC injection
port.
The chromatogram (top) is from a SPME fiber
exposed for 6 hours in the chemistry department
copy room. The peaks labeled A-D were identified
as the BTEX compounds shown above. Chromatograms
were obtained from each location and the peak
areas were examined in order to compare the
locations.
- Analysis of other locations, including other
campus buildings and perhaps some off-campus
locations - Use of other traditional air sampling techniques
to verify SPME results - Determine the concentration of BTEX compounds in
each sample location - Testing of other possible sources of BTEX
contamination using glove bag techniques
1 Chemistry Copy Room 2 Chemistry Office 3
Intellectual Property Office 4 ASTeCC Copy
Room 5 ASTeCC Conference Room 6 Outside
ASTeCC
- Several locations were sampled across the campus
of the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY - Chemistry Department Copy Room, Chemistry Physics
- Building
- Chemistry Department Office, Chemistry-Physics
- Building
- Intellectual Property Office, Advanced Science
and - Technology Commercialization Center (ASTeCC)
- Building
- Copy/Fax Room, ASTeCC Building
- Conference Room, ASTeCC Building
- Outside the ASTeCC Building
Acknowledgements
- The peak areas for BTEX compounds were much
greater in the chemistry copy room, chemistry
office and intellectual property office.
- We are grateful to the Department of Chemistry,
University of Kentucky REU program, funded by NSF
and the Air Force ASSURE program for support of
this work.
- Fibers were transported to and from sample
locations in clean glass tubes. Each sample
fiber had an associated trip blank, which was not
exposed to the air. - Immediately following sampling, analysis of the
fibers was carried out via a Varian 3400 4D GC/MS
equipped with electron ionization and an ion trap
mass analyzer. - The effects of a laser printer on air quality
were determined by enclosing a laser printer in a
nitrogen filled glove bag and sampling the air in
the bag while the printer was in several
configurations off, on without toner, and while
printing.
1 Nitrogen Only 2 Printer Off 3 Printer
On 4 Printer Printing
- We would also like to thank the University of
Kentucky Mass Spectrometry Facility and Michael
Timmons for their assistance with this project.
- Peak areas for BTEX compounds did not increase
within an enclosed glove bag when a laser printer
was introduced, turned on, or printing.