Detection of peroxyl radicals from polluted air by free radical reaction combined with liquid chromatography signal amplification technique

Abstract

Free radicals play an important role in the oxidizing power of polluted air, the development of aging-related diseases, the formation of ozone, and the production of secondary particulate matter. The high variability of peroxyl radical concentration has prevented the detection of possible trends or distributions in the concentration of free radicals. We present a new method, free radical reaction combined with liquid chromatography photodiode array detection, for identifying and quantifying peroxyl radicals in polluted air. Functionalized graphene was used for loading peroxyl radicals and reactive molecules in air sampling system, which can facilitate reaction kinetics (charge transfers) between peroxyl radicals and reaction molecules. Separation was performed with and without a preliminary exposure of the polluted air sample to reactive molecule(s) system. The integral chromatographic peak areas before and after air sampling are used to quantify the atmospheric peroxyl radicals in polluted air. The utility of the new technique was tested with measurements carried out in the field.

Preparation of Electrospun Active Molecular Membrane and Atmospheric Free Radicals Capture

“…They are the most important chemical intermediates or media in the atmosphere and play a crucial role in the atmospheric photo-chemical reactions. They determine the oxidation capacity of polluted air, in turn endangering human health and leading to a series of environmental problems [1,2,3]. Environmental toxicology research shows that free radicals in the urban atmosphere are a potential source which make humans more susceptible to developing cardiovascular, respiratory, and other diseases [4].…”