Determination of n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and hopanes in atmospheric aerosol: evaluation and comparison of thermal desorption GC-MS and solvent extraction GC-MS approaches

Abstract

Abstract. Organic aerosol (OA) constitutes a large fraction of fine particulate matter (PM) in the urban air. However, the chemical nature and sources of OA are not well constrained. Quantitative analysis of OA is essential for understanding the sources and atmospheric evolution of fine PM, which requires accurate quantification of some organic compounds (e.g., markers). In this study, two analytical approaches, i.e., thermal desorption (TD) gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and solvent extract (SE) GC-MS, were evaluated for the determination of n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and hopanes in ambient aerosol. For the SE approach, the recovery obtained is 89.3 %–101.5 %, the limits of detection (LODs) are 0.05–1.1 ng (1.5–33.9 ng m−3), repeatability is 3.5 %–14.5 % and reproducibility is 1.2 %–10.9 %. For the TD approach, the recovery is 57.2 %–109.8 %, the LODs are 0.1–1.9 ng (0.04–0.9 ng m−3), repeatability is 2.1 %–19.4 % and reproducibility is 1.1 %–12.9 %. Ambient aerosol samples were collected from Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Guangzhou during the winter of 2013 and were analyzed by the two methods. After considering the recoveries, the two methods show a good agreement with a high correlation coefficient (R2 > 0.98) and a slope close to unity. The concentrations of n-alkanes, PAHs and hopanes are found to be much higher in Beijing than those in Chengdu, Shanghai and Guangzhou, most likely due to emissions from traffic and/or coal combustion for wintertime heating in Beijing.

Urban organic aerosol composition in eastern China differs from north to south: molecular insight from a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (Orbitrap) study

“…In this study, 75-155 CHOS-compounds were observed, accounting for 10 %, 12 % and 14 % of the total peak abundance of all organics in Changchun-, Shanghai-and Guangzhou-, respectively. Around 89 %-96 % of these CHOS-compounds were found to fulfill the O/S ≥ 4 criterion allowing the assignment of at least one -OSO 3 H functional group and thus a tentative classification to organosulfates (OSs) (Lin et al, 2012a, b;Tao et al, 2014;Wang et al, 2016Wang et al, , 2017Wang et al, , 2018Wang et al, , 2019a. OSs were shown to affect the surface activity and hygroscopic properties of the aerosol particles, leading to potential impacts on climate (Hansen et al, 2015;Wang et al, 2019a).…”

Quantitative analysis of phthalates using a pyrolyzer gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method

“…Phthalates are analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) after solvent extraction using tetrahydrofuran, hexane, or methanol 17–19 . Although it is a widely used method worldwide because of its high accuracy, it is problematic in that it uses solvents that are destructive to our environment 20,21 . Therefore, developing an analytic method that reduces the burden imposed on the environment is needed.…”

“…[17][18][19] Although it is a widely used method worldwide because of its high accuracy, it is problematic in that it uses solvents that are destructive to our environment. 20,21 Therefore, developing an analytic method that reduces the burden imposed on the environment is needed. According to the principles of green analytical chemistry 22,23 and green sample preparation, 24 direct analysis is preferred to avoid sample treatment, and it is better to minimize samples, chemicals, and wastes.…”

The Use of Synchronous Fluorescence Technique in Environmental Investigations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Airborne Particulate Matter from an Industrial Region in Poland

“…The necessity of monitoring of PAHs in air explains the proof of the use much more effective analytical methods enabling their identification in a manner as simple and fast as possible. Among the most frequently applied modern methods of analysis of aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental samples are the chromatographic ones, particularly capillary gas chromatography, the most effective with mass spectrometry as the tool of detection (GC and GC-MS methods) [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19].…”